October 2003

Texas
Drug Threat Assessment

National Drug Intelligence Center

319 WASHINGTON STREET • 5TH FLOOR • JOHNSTOWN, PA 15901-1622 • (814) 532-4601 U.S. Department of Justice
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U.S. Department of Justice
National Drug Intelligence Center

Product No. 2003-S0387TX-001

October 2003

Texas
Drug Threat Assessment

National Drug Intelligence Center

319 Washington Street, 5th Floor
Johnstown, PA 15901-1622
(814) 532-4601
 Preface
This report is a strategic assessment that addresses the status and outlook of the drug threat to Texas.
Analytical judgment determined the threat posed by each drug type or category, taking into account the
most current quantitative and qualitative information on availability, demand, production or cultivation,
transportation, and distribution, as well as the effects of a particular drug on abusers and society as a
whole. While NDIC sought to incorporate the latest available information, a time lag often exists between
collection and publication of data, particularly demand-related data sets. NDIC anticipates that this drug
threat assessment will be useful to policymakers, law enforcement personnel, and treatment providers at
the federal, state, and local levels because it draws upon a broad range of information sources to describe
and analyze the drug threat to Texas.

Cover Photo © Stockbyte

 National Drug Intelligence Center

Texas Drug Threat Assessment

Executive Summary
Texas is a gateway for a large percentage of the illicit drugs smuggled to drug markets
throughout the United States. Large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin,
and marijuana are smuggled into the state from Mexico for distribution within Texas or
for eventual transport to drug markets throughout the nation. Other dangerous drugs are
smuggled into Texas from Mexico as well, primarily for abuse within the state but also
for regional distribution. The quantity of illicit drugs smuggled into Texas far exceeds
consumption within the state; however, significant quantities of methamphetamine,
cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and other dangerous drugs are abused in Texas.
Methamphetamine is a significant drug threat to Texas. High purity, low cost meth-
amphetamine is readily available, and the drug is widely abused, particularly in rural
areas. Methamphetamine produced in Mexico is the predominant type available. Locally
produced methamphetamine also is available and is becoming more prevalent. Metham-
phetamine production in Texas is increasing, as is the number of methamphetamine
laboratories being seized by law enforcement officials. Caucasian criminal groups and
independent Caucasian laboratory operators produce methamphetamine in Texas. They
generally produce ounce quantities using the Birch reduction method. Methamphetamine
also is produced by Mexican criminal groups and independent producers as well as out-
law motorcycle gangs. Mexican drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups con-
trol most of the transportation and wholesale distribution of Mexico-produced
methamphetamine. Hispanic street gangs, prison gangs, and outlaw motorcycle gangs also
distribute wholesale quantities of the drug. Mexican criminal groups control most of the
retail-level methamphetamine distribution in the state; however, Caucasian criminal groups
as well as street gangs, prison gangs, outlaw motorcycle gangs, and various other criminal
groups and independent dealers also distribute methamphetamine at the retail level.
Cocaine also is a significant drug threat to Texas. Powdered cocaine and crack
cocaine are readily available and frequently abused throughout the state; however, crack
cocaine is more readily available in larger metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas,
Houston, and San Antonio. Mexican drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups
dominate the transportation and wholesale distribution of powdered cocaine. They gen-
erally smuggle cocaine from Mexico into Texas through and between ports of entry
along the U.S.–Mexico border, particularly in South Texas. African American, Caucasian,

iii
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

Hispanic, and Mexican criminal groups; local independent dealers; outlaw motorcycle
gangs; street gangs such as Black Disciples, Bloods, Crips, and Latin Kings; and prison
gangs including Barrio Azteca, Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos, Mexikanemi, Raza
Unida, and Texas Syndicate distribute powdered cocaine at the retail level in Texas.
Retail quantities of crack cocaine are distributed by Mexican and other Hispanic crimi-
nal groups, Caucasian and African American criminal groups, local independent dealers,
street gangs, and prison gangs.
Heroin poses a considerable threat to Texas. Mexican black tar heroin and Mexican
brown powdered heroin are the predominant types available throughout the state; how-
ever, South American, Southeast Asian, and Southwest Asian heroin are available to vary-
ing extents. Mexican drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups control the
transportation and wholesale distribution of Mexican black tar and brown powdered her-
oin. Colombian drug trafficking organizations and criminal groups dominate the trans-
portation and wholesale distribution of South American heroin, while Nigerian and other
West African groups control the transportation and distribution of Southeast Asian and
Southwest Asian heroin. Mexican criminal groups dominate retail-level heroin distribu-
tion in the state. However, African American, Caucasian, and other Hispanic criminal
groups, local independent dealers, prison gangs, and street gangs also distribute heroin at
the retail level.
Marijuana is a significant drug threat to Texas. Marijuana produced in Mexico is
the predominant type available throughout the state. Locally produced marijuana is also
available, although to a lesser extent. Cannabis cultivation occurs within the state, pri-
marily in the eastern and northern regions and generally is controlled by Caucasian
criminal groups and independent dealers. Mexican drug trafficking organizations and
criminal groups dominate the smuggling of marijuana into Texas; they also dominate the
wholesale distribution of the drug. Caucasian, Colombian, and Jamaican criminal
groups; local independent dealers; prison gangs; street gangs; and outlaw motorcycle
gangs also distribute marijuana at the wholesale level. Caucasian, African American,
Jamaican, and Hispanic criminal groups; local independent dealers; prison gangs; and
street gangs are the primary retail-level distributors of marijuana in the state.
Other dangerous drugs (ODDs) include the club drugs MDMA, GHB and its
analogs, ketamine, LSD, and Rohypnol; the hallucinogen PCP; and diverted pharmaceu-
ticals. MDMA is readily available and abused in Texas and poses a considerable drug
threat to the state. Other ODDs present varying threats to Texas. Various criminal groups
transport club drugs into Texas via private vehicles, commercial aircraft, couriers on foot
(crossing the U.S.–Mexico border), and package delivery services. Club drugs primarily
are sold and abused by middle-class, suburban teenagers and young adults at raves and
nightclubs and on college campuses. PCP generally is distributed by local independent
dealers throughout the state. Pharmaceuticals such as oxycodone (OxyContin), hydro-
codone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), alprazolam (Xanax), and cough syrup
with codeine typically are diverted through a variety of techniques including pharmacy
diversion, “doctor shopping,” and improper prescribing practices by physicians.

iv
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Table of Contents

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Methamphetamine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Cocaine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Heroin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Marijuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Abuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Availability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Other Dangerous Drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Club Drugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Hallucinogens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Diverted Pharmaceuticals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Outlook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

v
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

OKLAHOMA
40
Amarillo

ARKANSAS
NEW MEXICO 27

Wichita Falls
Lubbock Dallas/Fort Worth
281 35 International Airport Texarkana
30 59

Fort Worth
20
Dallas
Abilene Irving
El Paso Midland
35 Nacogdoches
El Paso International Odessa LOUISIANA
20 Waco
Airport
281
10 George Bush
R
IO

Intercontinental
G
R
A

Airport
Austin
N

Austin
D

10 59
E
R

Beaumont
IV
ER

Houston 10
10
Big Bend San Antonio 77
National Park 59 Galveston
Del Rio
Eagle Pass Victoria
RI
O
GR

35
AN
DE

Gulf of Mexico
Mexico 59
RI

Corpus Christi
VE
R

Laredo
xas
h Te
Sout 281
Padre Island
National Seashore
77
McAllen

Brownsville

Texas.

Note: This map displays features mentioned in the report.

vi
 National Drug Intelligence Center
October 2003

Texas
Drug Threat Assessment
Overview
Texas is the second largest state in the country
in terms of both population and land area. Fast Facts
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the state
has more than 21 million residents; 71.0 percent Texas
are Caucasian, 11.5 percent African American, Population (2001) 21,325,018
2.7 percent Asian, 0.6 percent American Indian or
Alaska Native, 0.1 percent Native Hawaiian or U.S. population 2nd
ranking
Pacific Islander, and 14.2 percent are another race
or more than one race. Thirty-two percent of the Median household $40,860
population is of Hispanic or Latino origin. The income (2001)
state encompasses a land area of approximately Unemployment 6.4%
261,914 square miles. It is composed of forests, rate (Jan. 2003)
mountains, deserts, dry plains, and humid, sub-
Land area 261,914 square miles
tropical coastal lowlands.
Texas shares a 1,254-mile border with Mexico Coastline 624 miles
that follows the course of the Rio Grande River. International border 1,254 miles
This border area, a large portion of which is open
Capital Austin
and incapable of being continuously monitored by
border enforcement agencies, is extensively used Other principal cities Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth,
by drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) to smug- Houston, San Antonio
gle illicit drugs into the United States. Significant Number of counties 254
quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin,
and marijuana are smuggled from Mexico into Principal Agriculture, construction,
industries manufacturing, minerals (oil and
Texas. Federal-wide Drug Seizure System (FDSS) gas), services, wholesale and
data indicate that the quantity of drugs seized by retail trade
federal law enforcement officers in Texas, most of
which is seized at or near the U.S.–Mexico border,
consistently exceeds that of any other state in the ranked first in the country in the amount of
nation. FDSS data indicate that in 2002, Texas cocaine and marijuana seized by federal officers,

1
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

El Paso
Fabens
R
IO
G
R
A

Austin
N

Texas
D
E
R
IV
ER

Presidio Del Rio

Eagle Pass

RI
O
GR
AN
DE
RI
VE
Laredo

R
Mexico

Roma
Rio Grande City
Hidalgo
Progreso
Brownsville

Figure 1. The eleven land ports of entry between Texas and Mexico.

El Paso
Ciudad Juarez
R
IO
G
R
A

Texas
N

Austin
D
E
R
IV
ER

Presidio Del Rio

Ojinaga
Ciudad Acuna
Eagle Pass
Piedras Negras

Nuevo Laredo Laredo

Mexico

McAllen
McAllen
Brownsville
Reynosa
Matamoros

Figure 2. “Sister cities” in the United States and Mexico.

2

second in the amount of methamphetamine seized,
and third in the amount of heroin seized. (See
Table 1.) In 2002, 555,324 kilograms of marijuana
were seized in Texas—more than were seized in
all other states combined during that year.
Table 1. Federal Drug Seizures in Texas
and Nationwide Ranking, 2002
Kilograms Seizure
Seized in Ranking
Texas Nationwide
Marijuana 555,324 First
Cocaine 17,008 First
Methamphetamine 367 Second
Heroin 291 Third
Source: Federal-Wide Drug Seizure System.
There are 11 land ports of entry (POEs) along
the Texas portion of the U.S.–Mexico border
including, from west to east, El Paso, Fabens,
Presidio, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo, Roma, Rio
Grande City, Hidalgo, Progreso, and Brownsville.
(See Figure 1 on page 2.) In 2001 more than 20
million pedestrians, 51 million private vehicles,
and nearly 3 million commercial trucks crossed
into Texas from Mexico through these POEs. This
volume of cross-border traffic facilitates illicit
drug smuggling into and throughout the state.
United States and Mexico residents traveling
between the “sister cities” located along the U.S.–
Mexico border add to the volume of cross-border
traffic. (See Figure 2 on page 2.) The sister cities in
Texas and Mexico, from west to east are as follows:
(the first city is in Texas, and the second is immedi-
ately across the border in Mexico) El Paso and
Ciudad Juarez, Presidio and Ojinaga, Del Rio and
Ciudad Acuna, Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras,
Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, McAllen and Reynosa,
and Brownsville and Matamoros. Residents of the
United States and Mexico frequently cross the bor-
der between sister cities on personal business, and a
number of U.S. residents cross the border daily to
work in maquiladora plants in northern Mexico.
(See text box.) DTOs and criminal groups
National Drug Intelligence Center
frequently attempt to conceal smuggling activities
by crossing the border between these sister cities at
peak traffic times.
Maquiladora Plants
Maquiladora plants, or maquiladoras, use
duty-free materials and components from
foreign suppliers to manufacture finished
products such as electronics, textiles, and
automobile parts that are returned to the for-
eign suppliers. If the finished products are
exported from Mexico into the United States,
duty is paid only on the products’ value-added
content. There are more than 3,200 maquila-
doras in Mexico employing more than 1 million
individuals. Most of these plants are located
close to the border. The two maquiladoras
with the largest number of employees are
located in Ciudad Juarez (in Chihuahua) and
Tijuana (in Baja California Norte). In 2001 the
number of workers employed in these two
plants accounted for 40 percent of the total
Mexican maquiladora workforce.
Largely because of its multifaceted transporta-
tion infrastructure and its proximity to foreign pro-
duction areas, Texas is a national distribution center
for illicit drugs. Drug traffickers commonly use pri-
vate vehicles and commercial trucks to smuggle
illicit drugs into and through the state. DTOs and
criminal groups generally use Interstates 10, 20, 25,
30, and 35, as well as U.S. Highways 59, 77, 83,
and 281 as primary routes for transporting drugs
throughout Texas and from Texas to other regions
of the country. Interstate 10 spans the entire coun-
try, connecting Texas with Los Angeles, California,
in the west and Jacksonville, Florida, in the east.
Interstate 20, which splits from I-10 approximately
170 miles east of El Paso, provides a direct route
through Dallas to Shreveport, Louisiana; Birming-
ham, Alabama; and Atlanta, Georgia. The West
Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
(HIDTA) has identified these cities as destinations
for drugs transiting western Texas. Interstate 25,
which splits from I-10 approximately 40 miles west
of El Paso, provides a direct route to Albuquerque,
New Mexico; Denver, Colorado; and points north.
Interstate 30 originates in Dallas and provides
3
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

access to eastern and northern states via other
major highways that frequently are used to trans-
port drugs. Interstate 35 extends from Laredo,
located along the U.S.–Mexico border, north
through the United States to northern Minnesota
near the U.S.–Canada border. US 77 begins in
Brownsville and extends to Waco, terminating at I-
35, while US 281 originates in McAllen, passes
through San Antonio and ends at I-44 in Wichita
Falls. US 59 is slated for transition to I-69. If all
phases of construction continue as planned, this
highway will extend from the U.S.–Mexico border
at Laredo to the U.S.–Canada border at Interna-
tional Falls, Minnesota.
Seizures of illicit drugs and drug proceeds are
common on Texas highways. According to data
from Operations Pipeline and Convoy (see text
box), in 2000 state and local law enforcement
officers in Texas seized 66,248 kilograms of illicit
substances from private and commercial vehicles
traveling on Texas highways. Marijuana accounted
for 63,514 kilograms of the illicit substances
seized on Texas highways, and most of the high-
way drug interdictions occurred along I-10. In
2000 law enforcement officials throughout the
country reporting to Operations Pipeline/Convoy
also seized more than $15.8 million in U.S. cur-
rency destined for locations in Texas, including a
seizure of $2.7 million from a tractor-trailer trav-
eling on US 60 destined for El Paso. The largest
Texas Highway Patrol currency seizure in 2002
occurred on November 15, when officers seized
more than $3.2 million from a rental truck travel-
ing on US 77 in San Patricio County.
Texas has 21 international airports, which
include the Dallas/Fort Worth International Air-
port, the El Paso International Airport, and the
George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
There are also more than 1,800 commercial and
private airports and hundreds of private airstrips
in Texas. Drug traffickers often use these airports
and airstrips to smuggle illicit drugs into the state.
Moreover, traffickers establish clandestine air-
strips on either side of the U.S.–Mexico border to
further facilitate their drug smuggling efforts. The
Air and Marine Interdiction Coordination Center
(AMICC), which uses radar to track aircraft
approaching the U.S.–Mexico border, reports that
aircraft often fade from radar near the border and
appear to land at airports, airfields, and remote
locations in Mexico. Many fades are indicative of
traffickers moving drugs to locations near the bor-
der and offloading the shipments into vehicles for
smuggling overland into Texas. According to
AMICC, drugs typically are seized by U.S. or
Mexican authorities at or near the fade area within
72 hours after fade activity is noticed on radar.
Occasionally, pilots land at remote locations in
Texas, including abandoned airstrips or long
stretches of highways.

Operations Pipeline, Convoy, and Jetway

Operation Pipeline is a national highway interdiction program supported by the El Paso Intelligence
Center (EPIC). Drug seizures from private vehicles are reported to Operation Pipeline primarily by
state and local law enforcement agencies operating nationwide along the highways and interstates
most frequently used to transport illegal drugs and drug proceeds.
Operation Convoy is an EPIC-supported highway interdiction program involving commercial vehi-
cles. Drug seizures are reported to Operation Convoy by participating state and local law enforce-
ment agencies that seize drugs from commercial vehicles along major U.S. highways.
Operation Jetway is an EPIC-supported domestic interdiction program. Drug seizures are reported
to Operation Jetway by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies across the nation at air-
ports, train stations, bus stations, package shipment facilities, U.S. Post Offices, and airport hotels
and motels.

4

Commercial shipping is prevalent in the Gulf
of Mexico, presenting an additional threat of drug
smuggling to the state. The Port of Houston is
Texas’ principal port on the Gulf of Mexico and
in 2000 ranked first nationally in volume of foreign
trade. It also ranked first among the Gulf of Mex-
ico ports in the number of processed shipping
containers; more than 1,057,869 twenty-foot
equivalent units (TEUs) of container traffic were
processed at the Port of Houston during 2001, a
9 percent increase from 1999 when 968,530
TEUs were processed. The Rio Grande River and
Texas’ Intracoastal Waterway also are vulnerable
to drug trafficking. The Rio Grande flows for
1,885 miles from southwestern Colorado to the
Gulf of Mexico. It passes through New Mexico
and forms a natural boundary between Mexico
and Texas. Traffickers often float bundles of mar-
ijuana across the river, or they walk, swim, or
drive shipments across in low-water crossing
areas. Texas’ Intracoastal Waterway system
extends 426 miles from Sabine Pass to the mouth
of the Brownsville Ship Channel at Port Isabel,
enabling traffickers to use small vessels and plea-
sure craft to transport illicit drugs into and from
southern Texas.
Illicit drugs also are smuggled into and
through Texas via commercial aircraft, buses,
passenger trains, and package delivery services.
Operation Jetway data (see text box on page 4)
indicate that in 2000, law enforcement officers in
Texas seized 12,341 kilograms of illicit substances
that were transported (or intended for transport)
aboard commercial aircraft, buses, trains, or via
package delivery services. The amount of mari-
juana seized as part of Operation Jetway (11,659
kg) accounted for 94 percent of the illicit sub-
stances seized as part of the program in 2000.
Traffickers also smuggle illicit drugs by rail
across the Texas portion of the U.S.–Mexico
border; however, according to EPIC, the extent to
which DTOs and criminal groups use railcars to
smuggle drugs across the U.S.–Mexico border is
a significant intelligence gap. Northbound railcar
crossings into Texas from Mexico increased 45
percent from 145,112 in 1997 to 211,023 in 2001.
National Drug Intelligence Center
Moreover, there are five rail-only bridges along
the Texas portion of the U.S.–Mexico border.
These bridges, located at Brownsville, Eagle
Pass, El Paso, Laredo, and Presidio, handle
approximately 80 percent of the rail traffic that
enters the United States from Mexico.
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the
dominant transporters of illicit drugs into Texas.
They also control the wholesale, midlevel, and
retail distribution of drugs in the state. These DTOs
and criminal groups use familial ties and extensive
connections among organizations and groups to
transport and distribute significant quantities of
methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana
throughout Texas. Various other DTOs, criminal
groups, outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs), street
gangs, prison gangs, and local independent dealers
also transport significant quantities of illicit drugs
into the state for distribution.
Public health data indicate that drug-related
treatment admissions in Texas increased from 1998
through 2002. According to the Texas Commission
on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA), the number
of adult (18 and over) drug-related treatment
admissions (not including alcohol) to publicly
funded facilities in the state increased from 22,049
in 1998 to 27,530 in 2002. Of the 27,530 adult
admissions, 4,191 were for marijuana, 3,280 were
for powdered cocaine, 8,984 were for crack, 3,186
were for amphetamine/methamphetamine, 5,127
were for heroin, 75 were for MDMA, and the
remaining 2,687 admissions were for other illicit
and licit drugs, not including alcohol.
Despite increased drug treatment admissions,
survey data indicate that the percentage of Texas
residents who reported having abused an illicit
drug was lower than the percentage nationwide.
According to combined data from the 1999 and
the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug
Abuse (NHSDA), 4.9 percent of Texas residents
aged 12 and older reported having abused an
illicit drug in the month prior to the survey,
compared with 6.3 percent nationwide.
5
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
Drug-related crimes have increased in Texas.
The number of arrests in the state for the posses-
sion or sale of illicit drugs increased from 1997
through 2001, according to the Texas Department
of Public Safety (DPS). In 1997 there were 9,414
arrests for the sale of illicit drugs and 88,932
arrests for the possession of illicit drugs. In 2001
there were 10,034 arrests for the sale of illicit
drugs and 93,888 arrests for the possession of
illicit drugs.
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commis-
sion (USSC), in fiscal year (FY) 2001, 47 percent
of the federal sentences in Texas were for
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a significant drug threat
to Texas. High purity, low cost methamphetamine
is readily available, and the drug is widely
abused, particularly in rural areas. Methamphet-
amine produced in Mexico is the predominant
type available. Locally produced methamphet-
amine also is available and is becoming more
prevalent. Methamphetamine production in Texas
is increasing, as is the number of methamphet-
amine laboratories being seized by law enforce-
ment officials. Caucasian criminal groups and
independent Caucasian laboratory operators pro-
duce methamphetamine in Texas. They generally
produce ounce quantities using the Birch
Abuse
Methamphetamine abuse is high in Texas,
according to law enforcement agencies through-
out the state. Many agencies report that the level
of methamphetamine abuse is rising in their juris-
dictions and that Caucasians appear to be the pri-
mary abusers. Further, in response to the National
Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) National Drug
Threat Survey (NDTS) 2002, 47 percent of the
156 law enforcement respondents in Texas who
rated the level of methamphetamine abuse in their
jurisdictions reported high levels of abuse, and
30 percent reported medium levels of abuse.
6
drug-related offenses—higher than the national
rate of 41 percent. Marijuana offenses accounted
for the majority (64%) of the drug-related federal
sentences in the state in FY2001.
Illicit drug abuse has a significant impact on
the state’s economy. According to estimates pub-
lished by TCADA in January 2003, abuse of
illicit drugs cost the state $9.5 billion in 2000.
These costs include actual or estimated costs for
drug treatment and care, reduced or lost produc-
tivity, crime, premature death, law enforcement,
property damage, motor vehicle accidents, and
social welfare administration costs.
reduction method. Methamphetamine also is pro-
duced by Mexican criminal groups and indepen-
dent producers as well as OMGs. Mexican DTOs
and criminal groups control most of the transpor-
tation and wholesale distribution of Mexico-pro-
duced methamphetamine. Hispanic street gangs,
prison gangs, and OMGs also distribute wholesale
quantities of the drug. Mexican criminal groups
control most of the retail-level methamphetamine
distribution in the state; however, Caucasian
criminal groups as well as street gangs, prison
gangs, OMGs, and various other criminal groups
and independent dealers also distribute metham-
phetamine at the retail level.
Methamphetamine-related admissions to
publicly funded treatment facilities are increas-
ing. According to TCADA, amphetamine and
methamphetamine-related adult admissions to
publicly funded treatment programs increased
from 7 percent of drug admissions in 1998 to 12
percent in 2002. There were 1,672 amphetamine/
methamphetamine-related admissions in 1998;
1,510 in 1999; 2,629 in 2001; and 3,186 in 2002.
In 2002 Caucasians accounted for the largest per-
centage of these admissions (92%), followed by
Hispanics (6%), and African Americans (1%).

NDIC National Drug Threat Survey
The National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS)
2002 was administered by NDIC to a repre-
sentative sample of state and local law
enforcement agencies throughout the United
States to assess the availability, abuse, and
overall threat posed by all major drugs. NDIC
received 2,906 survey responses from law
enforcement agencies, an overall response
rate of 80 percent. Survey respondents were
asked to rank the greatest drug threats to
their areas and to indicate the level of avail-
ability for each major drug type. They also
were asked to provide information on specific
groups involved in the transportation and dis-
tribution of illicit drugs. Responding agencies
also provided narrative assessments of vari-
ous aspects of the overall drug situation and
the threat that specific drugs posed to their
areas. Survey responses are used by NDIC
to substantiate and augment drug threat
information obtained from other federal,
state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Methamphetamine also is abused by adoles-
cents in Texas. According to TCADA, amphet-
amine/methamphetamine accounted for 2.3
percent of the 5,178 youth drug treatment admis-
sions (excluding alcohol) to TCADA-funded
treatment programs in 2002, an increase from 1.5
percent the previous year. The average age at
which youths were admitted to treatment for
amphetamine/methamphetamine abuse was 16.
Caucasians accounted for the largest percentage
of these admissions (80%), followed by Hispan-
ics (12%), and African Americans (2%).
The number of amphetamine/methamphet-
amine emergency department (ED) mentions in
the Dallas metropolitan area increased from 422 in
1997 to 489 in 2001, according to the Drug Abuse
Warning Network (DAWN). In 2001 the rate of
amphetamine/methamphetamine mentions per
100,000 population in the Dallas metropolitan
area (16) was higher than the rate nationwide (13).
(Dallas is the only city in Texas that reports ED
data to DAWN.)
National Drug Intelligence Center
DAWN Emergency Department and
Mortality Data
DAWN emergency department data for the
Dallas metropolitan area represent estimates
of drug mentions in the Dallas metropolitan
area based on data provided by hospitals in
Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, and
Rockwall Counties.
DAWN mortality data for the Dallas metropoli-
tan area represent drug deaths in Collin,
Dallas, Denton, Ellis, and Kaufman Counties.
These five counties account for 94 percent of
the metropolitan area population. Henderson,
Hunt, and Rockwall Counties, which account
for the remaining 6 percent of the metropolitan
area population, did not report mortality data
to DAWN.
DAWN mortality data for the San Antonio met-
ropolitan area represent drug deaths in Bexar
County, which accounts for 87 percent of the
metropolitan area population. Comal, Guada-
lupe, and Wilson Counties, which account for
the remaining 13 percent of the metropolitan
area population, did not report mortality data
to DAWN.
According to TCADA, 17 amphetamine/
methamphetamine-related deaths occurred in
Texas in 1997; 20 in 1998; 21 in 1999; 39 in
2000; and 51 in 2001. DAWN mortality data
indicate that the number of deaths in which
methamphetamine was a factor increased in both
Dallas and San Antonio from 1997 through
Arrestee Drug Abuse
Monitoring Program
The ADAM Program involves two compo-
nents, a questionnaire administered by a
trained interviewer to an arrestee in a booking
facility and a urine sample collected from the
arrestee within 48 hours of arrest. In 2001
data were collected for 33 metropolitan areas
across the United States. ADAM data for Dal-
las, San Antonio, and Laredo were collected
from randomly selected arrestees at four facili-
ties in Dallas County, two facilities in Bexar
County, and one facility in Webb County.
7
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
2001. Methamphetamine-related deaths increased
from 18 in 1997 to 37 in 2001 in the Dallas met-
ropolitan area and from 8 to 18 in the San Anto-
nio metropolitan area. (Disparities in mortality
data are likely a result of differences in data col-
lection and reporting.)
The number of calls to Texas Poison Control
Centers has increased from 220 calls in 1998 to
282 in 1999, 393 in 2000, 451 in 2001, then
decreased to 392 in 2002.
Availability
Methamphetamine is readily available
throughout Texas. Of the 162 law enforcement
respondents to the NDTS 2002 in Texas who
rated the level of methamphetamine availability
in their jurisdictions, 80 percent reported that
methamphetamine was readily available. Meth-
amphetamine produced in Mexico is the most
dominant type; however, methamphetamine pro-
duced in Texas, California, and other southwest-
ern states is available to varying degrees
throughout the state. In addition, high purity
crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as
ice or glass, is becoming increasingly available
throughout northern and eastern Texas.
Chart 1. Methamphetamine Analyzed by Texas DPS Laboratories, in Grams, 1993–2000
350,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000 27,600
8,393 17,881
1993 1994 1995
Source: Texas Department of Public Safety.
8
In 2001 methamphetamine was detected in
only a small percentage of adult male arrestees
in Dallas, Laredo, and San Antonio. According
to the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring
(ADAM) program, 1.7 percent of adult male
arrestees tested positive for methamphetamine
use in Dallas during 2001, and 2.6 percent tested
positive in San Antonio. No adult male arrestees
tested positive for methamphetamine use in
Laredo during 2001.
Seizure data indicate the ready availability of
methamphetamine in Texas. According to FDSS
data, federal law enforcement officers in Texas
seized 265 kilograms of methamphetamine in
1998, 381 in 1999, 622 in 2000, 452 in 2001, and
367 kilograms in 2002. In 2002 Texas ranked
second in the nation for the quantity of metham-
phetamine seized. (See Table 1 on page 3.)
As further indication of the ready availability of
methamphetamine, Texas DPS laboratories have
analyzed increasing amounts of the drug. For
example, Texas DPS laboratories analyzed 294,000
294,000
204,323
80,039
53,190 46,962
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Year

Percentage of Items Analyzed by DPS
Laboratories in 2002 That Were
Methamphetamines or Amphetamines
Hidalgo (McAllen) 0.42
Webb (Laredo) 0.83
El Paso (El Paso) 5.39
Nueces (Corpus Christi) 9.03
Harris (Houston) 7.21
Travis (Austin) 19.06
McLennan (Waco) 20.69
Smith (Tyler) 23.62
Dallas (Dallas) 34.27
Midland (Odessa) 14.54
Taylor (Abilene) 46.30
Lubbock (Lubbock) 25.00
Potter (Amarillo) 46.66
In Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle, 47 percent
of all the drug items examined by the DPS lab-
oratory were either methamphetamines or
amphetamines, while in McAllen and Laredo,
less than 1 percent were these substances.
Laboratories in the northern part of the state
are also more likely to report analyzing sub-
stances that turned out to be ammonia or
pseudoephedrine, which are chemicals used
in the manufacture of methamphetamine.
Source: Texas Department of Public Safety.
grams of methamphetamine in 2000, compared
with only 8,393 grams in 1993. (See Chart 1 on
page 8.)
The percentage of drug-related federal sen-
tences that were methamphetamine-related in
Texas was lower than the national percentage in
FY2001, despite a dramatic increase in the num-
ber of methamphetamine-related federal sentences
in the state. According to USSC data in FY2001,
7 percent of drug-related federal sentences in
Texas were methamphetamine-related compared
with 14 percent nationally. Methamphetamine-
related federal sentences in Texas more than
doubled from 154 in FY1997 to 326 in FY2001.
In FY2002 methamphetamine prices through-
out Texas varied depending on the location of sale
and the amount purchased. DEA reported that
National Drug Intelligence Center
wholesale quantities of Mexico-produced
methamphetamine sold for $5,800 to $9,000 per
pound in Dallas, $10,600 per pound in El Paso,
and $6,000 to $11,000 per pound in Houston.
Prices for ounce and gram quantities of metham-
phetamine also varied throughout the state. Meth-
amphetamine sold for $400 per ounce in Dallas,
$960 per ounce in El Paso, and $500 to $800 per
ounce in Houston. Methamphetamine sold for $70
to $100 per gram in Dallas and $90 per gram in El
Paso. Law enforcement agencies in Texas, includ-
ing DEA, HIDTAs, and local task forces, reported
that the purity of methamphetamine ranged from
as low as 17 percent to as high as 90 percent dur-
ing FY2002. Crystal methamphetamine price and
purity data are not reported for Texas; however, in
other states the purity of crystal methamphetamine
typically is greater than 80 percent and often
exceeds 90 percent.
Law enforcement officials in Texas report that
crystal methamphetamine is increasingly available
in Dallas and Houston. According to the DEA
Houston Division, crystal methamphetamine is
being sold in nightclubs in Houston. Officers
from the Austin Police Department also report
that the availability of crystal methamphetamine
recently has increased in its jurisdiction, and they
believe the drug is being produced locally.
Large Crystal Methamphetamine
Seizure in Dallas County
On May 7, 2003, officers from the Dallas
County Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Cus-
toms Enforcement (ICE)—formerly U.S. Cus-
toms Service—and the North Texas HIDTA
seized 24 pounds of crystal methamphetamine
and arrested three individuals in North Dallas.
Twenty-two pounds of the drug were seized
from a vehicle occupied by two of the suspects,
and an additional pound was concealed under
the backseat of another vehicle driven by a
third suspect. Authorities seized another pound
from a storage unit associated with the individ-
uals. Authorities indicate that the crystal
methamphetamine was produced in Mexico or
South Texas and transported into Dallas
County in a private vehicle.
Source: Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.
9
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
Violence
Methamphetamine-related violence poses a
significant threat to Texas. Violence is more
commonly associated with the production, distri-
bution, and abuse of methamphetamine than with
any other illicit drug. Methamphetamine is a
powerful stimulant that affects the central nervous
system and can induce anxiety, insomnia, para-
noia, hallucinations, mood swings, delusions, and
violent behavior, particularly during the “tweak-
ing” stage of abuse. (See text box.)
Tweaking
As the euphoric effects of methamphetamine
diminish, abusers enter the tweaking stage in
which they are prone to violence, delusions,
paranoia, and feelings of emptiness and dys-
phoria. During the tweaking stage the user
often has not slept in days and consequently is
extremely irritable. The “tweaker” also craves
more methamphetamine, which results in frus-
tration and contributes to anxiety and restless-
ness. At this stage methamphetamine users
may become violent without provocation. Case
histories indicate that tweakers have reacted
violently to the mere sight of a police uniform.
Prison gangs are involved in the distribution
of methamphetamine in Texas, and they display a
propensity for violence, particularly in safeguard-
ing their drug operations. Members of Texas
Mafia, a Caucasian gang that operates within and
Production
Most of the methamphetamine available in
Texas is produced in Mexico by Mexican DTOs
and criminal groups. However, methamphet-
amine production occurs in Texas and is increas-
ing throughout the state. According to EPIC’s
National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure Sys-
tem (NCLSS), federal, state, and local law
enforcement authorities in Texas seized 502
10
outside Texas prisons, have committed robbery,
burglary, and theft to obtain funds to expand their
methamphetamine distribution activities. Mem-
bers of Texas Mafia (see text box) also reportedly
have been involved in homicides, including
inmate homicides. In addition, members of Texas
Mafia maintain a close association with the Texas
Syndicate prison gang and reportedly have
engaged in “contract killings” on its behalf.
Texas Mafia and Texas Syndicate
The Texas Mafia prison gang was formed in
Texas prisons in the early 1980s and is com-
posed predominantly of Caucasian inmates
and ex-convicts. Many members are drug
users who frequently engage in methamphet-
amine distribution. Members have close asso-
ciations to the Texas Syndicate prison gang
as well as OMGs.
The Texas Syndicate prison gang distributes
methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin
throughout Texas and within the state’s penal
system. The majority of its members are Mex-
ican Americans who are incarcerated in
Texas; however, members also include indi-
viduals from Latin American countries, such
as Colombia and Mexico, who likewise are
imprisoned in Texas. Incarcerated members
and those who have been released from
prison control the gang’s drug distribution
activities in prisons and on the street.
methamphetamine laboratories in 2002, an
increase from 422 in 2001 and 255 in 2000.
Methamphetamine laboratories are located
throughout the state, particularly in rural and
moderately populated areas of western Texas and
the border region. Law enforcement officials
report that they regularly seize methamphetamine
 National Drug Intelligence Center

and methamphetamine laboratories throughout
the state. Criminal groups and individuals oper-
ating in these areas establish secluded laboratory
sites which enable them to avoid law enforce-
ment detection and easily dispose of hazardous
waste. In addition, law enforcement reporting
indicates that methamphetamine production is
increasing in rural areas in eastern Texas as well
as in urban areas such as Austin, Dallas, Fort
Worth, Houston, McAllen, and San Antonio.
Methamphetamine producers also increasingly
are using hotel or motel rooms for methamphet-
amine production, which poses a danger to indi-
viduals in surrounding rooms or buildings. Some
hotels and motels have centralized air ventilation
systems through which poisonous vapors and
gases from methamphetamine laboratories can
spread to other rooms via ductwork. Moreover,
methamphetamine laboratories are an extreme
fire risk. The DEA Dallas Division reports an
increase in motel fires that they believe may be
related to the production of methamphetamine.
Methamphetamine laboratories in Texas are
generally small and yield ounce quantities of the
drug. Most methamphetamine laboratories are
operated by Caucasian criminal groups and
independent Caucasian producers. Mexican crimi-
nal groups and OMGs also produce methamphet-
amine in the state, although to a lesser extent.
These groups use ephedrine/pseudoephedrine
reduction methods (see text box), primarily the
Birch reduction method, to produce methamphet-
amine. Birch reduction laboratories are becoming
more common throughout the state. The Central
East Texas Narcotics Task Force reports that
Birch reduction laboratories are increasingly
common in its jurisdiction because of the ready
availability of precursor and essential chemicals,
most of which can be purchased over the counter
from local stores.

Methamphetamine Production Methods

Ephedrine/Pseudoephedrine Reduction:
• Hydriodic acid/red phosphorus. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine,
hydriodic acid, and red phosphorus. This method can yield multipound quantities of high quality
d-methamphetamine and often is associated with Mexican DTOs and criminal groups.
• Iodine/red phosphorus. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine,
iodine, and red phosphorus. The required hydriodic acid in this variation of the hydriodic acid/
red phosphorus method is produced by the reaction of iodine in water with red phosphorus.
This method yields high quality d-methamphetamine.
• Iodine/hypophosphorous acid. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine,
iodine, and hypophosphorous acid. The required hydriodic acid in this variation of the hydriodic
acid/red phosphorus method is produced by the reaction of iodine in water with hypophosphorous
acid. Known as the hypo method, this method yields lower quality d-methamphetamine. Hypo-
phosphorous acid is more prone than red phosphorus to cause a fire and can produce deadly
phosphine gas.
• Birch. The principal chemicals are ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, anhydrous ammonia,
and sodium or lithium metal. Also known as the Nazi method, this method typically yields
ounce quantities of high quality d-methamphetamine and often is used by independent dealers
and producers.
Phenyl-2-propanone:
• P2P. The principal chemicals are phenyl-2-propanone, aluminum, methylamine, and mer-
curic acid. This method yields lower quality dl-methamphetamine and traditionally was associ-
ated with OMGs.

11
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

Crystal methamphetamine conversion labora-

tories also have been encountered in Texas.
According to law enforcement officials, Mexican
criminal groups are becoming increasingly
involved in the conversion and distribution of
crystal methamphetamine in Texas.
Crystal Methamphetamine Conversion
The conversion of powdered methamphet-
amine to crystal methamphetamine involves
dissolving d-methamphetamine powder in a
solvent such as denatured alcohol. Evapora-
tion of the solvent yields crystals that resemble
glass shards or ice shavings. This “washing”
technique removes impurities, resulting in
methamphetamine with longer-lasting physi-
cal effects and purity levels above 80 percent.
The ready availability of precursor chemicals
and reagents used in methamphetamine production
contribute to the threat posed by methamphetamine.
Laboratory operators in the state commonly
extract ephedrine or pseudoephedrine from cold
pills and other over-the-counter medications and
purchase other chemicals such as iodine, lithium,
and ether from businesses that distribute these
products for legitimate purposes. Methamphetamine
producers in Texas also obtain large quantities of
precursor and essential chemicals in Mexico.
They typically smuggle these chemicals through
the Texas POEs in private vehicles. They also
smuggle or transport chemicals into Texas by bus,
train, commercial and private aircraft, package
delivery services, and couriers on foot.
Methamphetamine producers in the state also
steal anhydrous ammonia, a common farm fertil-
izer, from farm supply stores and farmers’ fields.
Anhydrous ammonia generally is stored in mobile
tanks that contain 400 to 1,000 gallons of the
chemical. Methamphetamine laboratory operators
often steal the chemical by siphoning it from the
tanks. They also purchase illegally diverted
anhydrous ammonia for as much as $500 per
gallon. When purchased from legitimate suppliers,
anhydrous ammonia sells for approximately 50
cents per gallon.
Ephedrine Concealed in Ice Cubes
CBP officials in El Paso and the Montgomery
County Sheriff’s Office report that Mexican
DTOs and criminal groups have attempted to
smuggle ephedrine into the United States by
dissolving it in water, freezing the solution into
ice cubes, and mixing the cubes with bever-
ages in insulated coolers. Once the smugglers
cross the border, the ice is melted and the
water evaporated to extract the ephedrine.
Source: Bureau of Customs and Border Protection;
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Methamphetamine production poses serious
safety and environmental threats to Texas. The
production process creates toxic and hazardous
waste that endangers law enforcement personnel,
emergency response teams, children (particularly
those who reside in the homes of methamphet-
amine producers), and the environment.
Anhydrous Ammonia Theft
and Diversion
Farmers use anhydrous ammonia as a fertil-
izer. Methamphetamine laboratory operators
often divert anhydrous ammonia from large
storage tanks located on farm fields or at farm
supply stores by using garden or vacuum
hoses to siphon the chemical into open con-
tainers or empty propane cylinders. Thefts
from farms and agricultural supply stores have
become so frequent in some agricultural areas
of the United States that security measures
increasingly are being employed. These mea-
sures include alarms, surveillance cameras,
barricades, fencing, motion detectors, and
special locks on tank valves.

12

Transportation
Seizure data indicate that Texas is becoming
a key entry point for methamphetamine produced
in Mexico. EPIC data indicate that the amount of
methamphetamine seized in Texas within 150
miles of the U.S.–Mexico border increased from
263 kilograms in 1999 to 386 kilograms in
2002—the second-highest quantity seized
among border states. (See Table 2.) Although
shipments of methamphetamine interdicted at
the border typically are in small quantities, there
have been some large seizures. On April 8, 2002,
U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents monitoring
the Rio Grande River near Roma, Texas, seized
more than 21 pounds of methamphetamine and
1,260 pounds of marijuana from an abandoned
truck. Other large methamphetamine seizures at
or near the border include 42 pounds seized from
a sport-utility vehicle at the Eagle Pass POE on
August 28, 2002; approximately 49 pounds
seized from a private vehicle at the Hidalgo POE
on September 2, 2002; and 27 pounds seized
from a pickup truck at a checkpoint on US 54 on
October 24, 2002.
Most of the methamphetamine available in
Texas is smuggled into the state from Mexico by
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups. These DTOs
and criminal groups smuggle the drug in private
and commercial vehicles using a variety of con-
cealment methods. According to Texas DPS, con-
cealment locations include gas tanks, consoles,
front doors, quarter panels, and toolboxes.
Table 2. Methamphetamine Seizures Within 150 Miles of the
U.S.–Mexico Border, in Kilograms, 1999–2002
1999
Arizona 60
California 691
New Mexico 40
Texas 263
Source: El Paso Intelligence Center.
National Drug Intelligence Center
Methamphetamine also is transported into the
state from California and other southwestern
states, although to a lesser extent than from Mex-
ico. Caucasian criminal groups and independent
dealers who produce methamphetamine in Texas
also transport the drug throughout the state.
Methamphetamine from Mexico commonly
is transported from border areas to primary mar-
ket areas via I-10, I-20, and I-35. The North
Texas HIDTA reports that methamphetamine
traffickers use I-35 as a primary route for trans-
porting the drug to destinations in Texas as well
as in northern and eastern states. Traffickers also
use I-40, an east-west route, to transport meth-
amphetamine through the state. In January 2002
Texas DPS officers seized more than 500 grams
of methamphetamine from a private vehicle on I-
40 in Wheeler County, east of Amarillo. More-
over, law enforcement agencies in western Texas
report that methamphetamine is transported from
California on I-40 through Arizona, New Mex-
ico, and northern Texas. Some methamphet-
amine from California also is transported
through Texas en route to other states, particu-
larly Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and other
southeastern states. Operation Pipeline/Convoy
data indicate that state and local law enforcement
officers have seized a significant amount of
methamphetamine on Texas highways. State and
local law enforcement officers in Texas seized 74
kilograms of methamphetamine from private and
2000 2001 2002
173 367 312
659 681 503
27 10 34
531 314 386
13
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
commercial vehicles traveling along Texas high-
ways in 2000. Three of the seizures were 10 kilo-
grams or more: 10.0 kilograms were seized from
a private vehicle traveling on I-40 from Califor-
nia to Missouri; 10.9 kilograms from a private
vehicle traveling on I-35 from Laredo to Austin;
and 10.9 kilograms from a private vehicle travel-
ing on US 281 from Donna (TX) to San Antonio.
Methamphetamine also is transported into
and through the state by couriers traveling aboard
Distribution
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the
primary wholesale distributors of methamphetamine
in Texas. Hispanic street gangs, prison gangs, and
OMGs also distribute wholesale quantities of the
drug. According to the DEA Austin Resident
Office and the Midland Police Department,
Hispanic street gangs and prison gangs distribute
methamphetamine at the wholesale level in their
jurisdictions. The Tri-County Narcotics Task
Force reports that OMGs, particularly Bandidos,
dominate methamphetamine distribution in its
jurisdiction north of Corpus Christi. Other
OMGs, such as Tiburones and Amigos, also dis-
tribute wholesale quantities of methamphetamine
throughout the state.
Mexican criminal groups are the primary
retail distributors of methamphetamine in Texas.
Caucasian criminal groups as well as street gangs,
prison gangs, OMGs, and various other criminal
groups and independent dealers also distribute
methamphetamine at the retail level. Caucasian
criminal groups and independent dealers who
operate methamphetamine laboratories in the state
also distribute retail quantities of the drug. The
San Antonio Police Department reports that
prison gangs including Texas Mafia, Texas Syndi-
cate, Mexikanemi, and Hermanos de Pistoleros
Latinos (see text box) are the primary retail meth-
amphetamine distributors in its jurisdiction. The
San Antonio Police Department reports that the
Bandidos OMG distributes retail quantities of
methamphetamine in that city.
14
buses and trains, by couriers traveling on foot,
and via package delivery services. Operation
Jetway data indicate that in 2000, law enforce-
ment officers in Texas seized 22 kilograms of
methamphetamine that were transported (or
intended for transport) aboard buses, trains, or
via package delivery services. The majority
(12 kg) was seized from passengers or luggage
on commercial buses.
Mexikanemi and
Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos
Mexikanemi, also known as Texas Mexican
Mafia or La Emi, was formed in 1984. It is the
largest and fastest-growing prison gang in
Texas, with more than 1,500 confirmed mem-
bers. Members engage in a variety of criminal
activities including extortion, drug distribution,
and murder. Mexikanemi is not affiliated with the
Mexican Mafia prison gang based in California.
Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos is a Texas-
based prison gang that generally operates in
Dallas, Grand Prairie, Houston, Laredo, San
Antonio, and Victoria. It is composed solely of
current or former prison inmates of Latino origin,
including individuals who speak Spanish or who
are descendants of Latino or Hispanic families.
Members inside and outside prison commit a
variety of crimes, including drug and weapons
trafficking, murder, assault, and burglary.
Other retail methamphetamine distributors are
present in Texas, but their activities vary depending
on location. The Garland Police Department reports
that the Asian Pride and Little Saigon Hoodlums
street gangs distribute methamphetamine at the
retail level in its jurisdiction. The Harris County
Sheriff’s Department, whose jurisdiction includes
Houston, reports that retail-level methamphetamine
distribution in its area is dominated by Caucasian
criminal groups, but that Asian (Chinese), Carib-
bean, and Mexican criminal groups, OMGs, prison
gangs, and street gangs also distribute the drug. The

Central South Texas Narcotics Task Force in
George West reports that Mexican criminal groups
and local independent dealers are the primary retail
distributors of methamphetamine in its jurisdiction.
Retail-level methamphetamine distributors in
Texas employ various marketing techniques in an
attempt to expand their operations. The Houston
Cocaine
Cocaine also is a significant drug threat to
Texas. Powdered cocaine and crack cocaine are
readily available and frequently abused through-
out the state; however, crack cocaine is more
readily available in larger metropolitan areas such
as Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Mexi-
can DTOs and criminal groups dominate the
transportation and wholesale distribution of pow-
dered cocaine. They generally smuggle cocaine
from Mexico into Texas through and between
POEs along the U.S.–Mexico border, particularly
in South Texas. African American, Caucasian,
Abuse
Cocaine abuse is a considerable concern to
law enforcement agencies in Texas. In response
to the NDTS 2002, 45 percent of the 159 law
enforcement respondents in Texas who rated the
level of powdered cocaine abuse in their jurisdic-
tions reported high levels of abuse, and 39 percent
reported medium levels of abuse. Similarly, 48
percent reported high levels of crack cocaine
abuse and 24 percent reported medium levels of
crack abuse. Combined data from the 1999 and
the 2000 NHSDA indicate that the percentage of
Texas residents who reported having abused
cocaine at least once in the year prior to the sur-
vey (2.0%) was slightly higher than the percent-
age nationwide (1.6%).
The number of treatment admissions for
cocaine abuse to TCADA-funded treatment facili-
ties exceeded the number of admissions for any
other illicit drug in 2002. According to TCADA,
cocaine accounted for 29 percent of all adult
National Drug Intelligence Center
Police Department reports that the increasing
popularity of methamphetamine in its jurisdiction
is largely due to retail distributors passing out
samples of the drug to pique user interest. Dealers
also give away samples of methamphetamine
with other drugs they distribute.
Hispanic, and Mexican criminal groups; local
independent dealers; OMGs; street gangs such as
Black Disciples, Bloods, Crips, and Latin Kings;
and prison gangs including Barrio Azteca, Her-
manos de Pistoleros Latinos, Mexikanemi, Raza
Unida, and Texas Syndicate distribute powdered
cocaine at the retail level in Texas. Retail quanti-
ties of crack cocaine are distributed by Mexican
and other Hispanic criminal groups, Caucasian
and African American criminal groups, local
independent dealers, street gangs, and prison
gangs.
treatment admissions in 2002—crack cocaine
accounted for 21 percent, and powdered cocaine
accounted for 8 percent. Moreover, treatment
admissions for cocaine abuse fluctuated but
increased overall from 1998 through 2002.
According to TCADA, there were 8,498 adult
admissions for crack cocaine abuse in 1998,
10,555 in 1999, 7,157 in 2000, 7,573 in 2001, and
8,984 in 2002. Admissions for powdered cocaine
abuse also fluctuated but increased overall, from
3,124 in 1998 to 3,513 in 1999, 2,692 in 2000,
2,682 in 2001, and 3,275 in 2002.
Cocaine abuse is also a problem among
Texas’ youth. According to TCADA, cocaine
accounted for 6 percent of all youth admissions to
TCADA-funded treatment programs in 2002, a
decrease from 11 percent in 1998. In 2002 there
were 345 youth admissions for powdered cocaine
abuse and 68 for crack cocaine abuse. Teenagers
who live near the U.S.–Mexico border are at
15
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
particular risk. According to the 2002 Texas
School Survey of Substance Use Among Stu-
dents: Grades 7-12, almost 14 percent of students
in grades 7 through 12 living in the border region
reported using powdered cocaine at least once in
their lifetime compared with 7 percent of students
living in other parts of the state. Lifetime use of
crack cocaine among border students also was
higher (4%) than among students residing else-
where in the state (3%). Moreover, according to
TCADA, high school seniors in the Lower Rio
Grande Valley reported higher rates of lifetime
use of powdered cocaine and crack cocaine than
students from other parts of the state.
The number of cocaine ED mentions in the
Dallas metropolitan area increased dramatically
from 1,778 in 1997 to 2,586 in 1998 then
decreased sharply to 1,770 in 2001, according to
DAWN. In 2001 the rate of cocaine mentions per
100,000 population in the Dallas metropolitan
area (57) was lower than the rate nationwide (76).
Cocaine-related deaths in Texas reached his-
toric levels in 2001. According to TCADA, there
Availability
Cocaine is widely available throughout Texas.
Powdered cocaine is generally available in most
areas of the state; 89 percent of the 169 law
enforcement respondents to the NDTS 2002 in
Texas who rated the level of powdered cocaine
availability reported that powdered cocaine was
readily available in their jurisdictions. Crack
cocaine is readily available in larger urban areas
such as Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.
According to FDSS data, cocaine seizures
fluctuated between 1998 and 2002. Federal law
enforcement officers in Texas seized 18,460 kilo-
grams in 1998, 23,617 kilograms in 1999, 12,177
kilograms in 2000, 15,140 kilograms in 2001, and
17,008 kilograms in 2002. Despite these fluctua-
tions, cocaine remains readily available—Texas
ranked first nationwide in terms of the quantity of
cocaine seized by federal officers in 2002. (See
Table 1 on page 3.)
16
were 491 cocaine-related deaths in 2001, an
increase from 424 in 2000, 413 in 1999, 382 in
1998, and 338 in 1997. Moreover, DAWN mortal-
ity data indicate that the number of deaths in
which cocaine was a factor in Dallas and San
Antonio increased in both metropolitan areas
from 1997 through 2001. Cocaine-related deaths
increased from 140 in 1997 to 185 in 2001 in the
Dallas metropolitan area and from 45 in 1997 to
130 in 2001 in the San Antonio metropolitan area.
The number of calls to Texas Poison Control
Centers have increased every year from 497
calls in 1998 to 498 in 1999, 874 in 2000, 1,024
in 2001, and 1,195 in 2002.
Cocaine frequently was detected among
adult male arrestees in Dallas, Laredo, and San
Antonio in 2001. According to ADAM program
data, 30.4 percent of adult male arrestees tested
positive for cocaine in Dallas, 35.0 percent
tested positive in Laredo, and 29.6 percent tested
positive in San Antonio.
According to USSC data, in FY2001 the per-
centage of drug-related federal sentences in Texas
that were cocaine-related (25%) was lower than
the national percentage (43%). The number of
sentences for powdered cocaine in the state (731)
was higher than the number for crack cocaine
(428) in FY2001. The number of powdered and
crack cocaine-related sentences in Texas increased
from 919 in FY1997 to 1,159 in FY2001.
Cocaine prices are stable throughout the state.
In FY2002 cocaine prices throughout Texas varied
depending on the location of sale and the amount
purchased. DEA reported that wholesale quantities
of powdered cocaine sold for $14,000 to $23,000
per kilogram in Dallas, $15,000 to $16,500 per
kilogram in El Paso, and $14,000 to $20,000 per
kilogram in Houston. At the midlevel, powdered
cocaine sold for $400 per ounce in Dallas, $960
per ounce in El Paso, and $500 to $800 per ounce

in Houston. Retail quantities sold for $50 to $100
per gram in Dallas, $50 to $60 per gram in El Paso,
and $80 to $100 per gram in Houston. The average
retail-level price for crack was approximately $20
per rock. In the Austin area retail crack distributors
purchase a “five-pack” (five rocks) for $50 from
midlevel distributors, break each rock into five
Violence
Violent criminal activity in Texas has been
associated with powdered cocaine distribution.
A large percentage of this violence results from
competition for control of distribution areas.
Texas law enforcement officials throughout the
state report that this competition leads to violent
confrontations that pose a serious risk to innocent
bystanders. The Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos
prison gang (see text box on page 14), which coor-
dinates and conducts street-level distribution of
cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphet-
amine, engages in violent activity including
homicide, drive-by shooting, and aggravated
assault in connection with its drug operations. In
addition, Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos sells
and trades firearms that members obtain from
burglaries of residential homes and businesses.
Production
Coca is not cultivated nor is cocaine produced
in Texas. Cocaine is produced in South America,
primarily in Colombia. Retail distributors, how-
ever, convert powdered cocaine into crack within
the state.
The conversion of powdered cocaine into
crack occurs primarily in urban areas of the state,
generally at or near distribution sites. However,
some crack cocaine is transported into and within
National Drug Intelligence Center
rocks, and then sell those 25 individual packs or
rocks for $20 each. Smaller pieces called kibbles
and bits sell for $1 to $10. Purity levels of pow-
dered cocaine in Texas ranged from 70 to 90 percent
in FY2002, while purity levels of crack ranged
from 35 to 84 percent, according to DEA, HIDTA,
and Texas DPS.
Violence also has been associated with crack
cocaine distribution, particularly in urban areas
throughout Texas. The 24th & 25th Judicial Dis-
trict Narcotics Task Force in Seguin reports that
crack cocaine-related criminal activity poses the
greatest threat to the safety of the citizens in that
area. Neighborhoods in Austin also have been
inundated with criminal activity related to crack
distribution. The Tri-County Narcotics Task
Force located north of Corpus Christi reports that
crack dealers operate openly and perpetrate vio-
lence that endangers the local residents. More-
over, the Westside Narcotics Task Force in
Brookshire reports that petty thefts, residential
and commercial burglaries, aggravated assaults,
and homicides in its jurisdiction have been
directly related to the distribution and abuse of
crack cocaine.
the state. The DEA Dallas Division reports that
crack cocaine is converted within that city but
also is transported into the area from Los Angeles
and Houston. Moreover, the DEA Houston Divi-
sion reports that crack cocaine is converted in its
jurisdiction but also is transported into that area
from Corpus Christi and the Starr County/Rio
Grande City area.
17
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
Transportation
Texas is a primary entry point for powdered
cocaine smuggled into the United States. EPIC
data indicate that the amount of cocaine seized in
Texas within 150 miles of the U.S.–Mexico bor-
der decreased from 24,137 kilograms in 1999 to
15,998 kilograms in 2002. Despite this decrease,
Texas consistently ranked first in the amount of
cocaine seized in states along the U.S.–Mexico
border. (See Table 3.) In each of the years in this
period, cocaine seizures in the border area
accounted for more than 60 percent of the total
cocaine seized in the state.
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the
primary transporters of powdered cocaine into
Texas. These DTOs and criminal groups smuggle
the drug through and between POEs along the
U.S.–Mexico border, particularly in South Texas.
In addition to Mexican DTOs and criminal
groups, various other criminal groups smuggle
cocaine into Texas and transport it throughout the
state. The San Antonio Police Department
reports that local independent dealers transport
cocaine into the San Antonio Area. The Alamo
Area Narcotics Task Force in San Antonio also
reports that local independent dealers transport
cocaine into and through its jurisdiction, as well
as Colombian and Caucasian criminal groups,
OMGs, and local street gangs. In addition, law
enforcement officials in Floresville report that
the Mexikanemi and Texas Syndicate
Table 3. Cocaine Seizures Within 150 Miles of the
U.S.–Mexico Border, in Kilograms, 1999–2002
1999
Arizona 5,265
California 7,118
New Mexico 749
Texas 24,137 14,210
Source: El Paso Intelligence Center.
18
prison-based gangs transport cocaine into and
through its jurisdiction.
Powdered cocaine is smuggled into Texas
primarily through POEs along the U.S.–Mexico
border in private and commercial vehicles. The
drug typically is concealed in trunks, gas tanks,
side and rear quarter panels, engines, tires, and
front and back seats of private vehicles and
sleeper areas, refrigeration units, and modified
compartments of tractor-trailers. In one incident in
January 2002 U.S. Customs Service (USCS)
agents seized more than 900 kilograms of cocaine
(758 bricks) in Laredo. The shipment was con-
cealed inside a hidden compartment located at the
front of a tanker-trailer. On April 25, 2002, USCS
officials at the Del Rio POE seized approximately
2,600 pounds of cocaine that was concealed
inside the roof of a tractor-trailer. Cocaine also is
routinely intermingled with legitimate cargo,
including perishable goods. Powdered cocaine
also is smuggled into Texas by maritime means
including small boats, fishing vessels, recreational
watercraft, barges, and coastal freighters. Traf-
fickers use large maritime vessels to transport
cocaine through the Gulf of Mexico and smaller
vessels to smuggle cocaine across the Rio Grande.
Moreover, cocaine is smuggled across the Rio
Grande in bundles that are floated from Mexico
into the United States. In April 2000 Laredo
2000 2001 2002
2,252 3,034 2,538
6,001 4,140 3,381
219 171 392
12,777 15,998

Police Department officers seized a bundle con-
taining 328 kilograms of cocaine that had been
floated across the Rio Grande.
In addition, powdered cocaine is smuggled
into Texas by couriers traveling aboard commer-
cial aircraft, by couriers traveling on foot between
POEs, or periodically by couriers traveling
through tunnels that run underneath the U.S.–
Mexico border, often near El Paso. Couriers also
transport cocaine on commercial flights from El
Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colom-
bia, to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in
Houston. Couriers commonly travel on foot car-
rying small quantities of cocaine between POEs
such as Presidio, Del Rio, and Eagle Pass. Couri-
ers also use city sewer and drain tunnels to smug-
gle cocaine to stash houses in the El Paso area.
Cocaine also is transported into and through
Texas on buses, trains, and via package delivery
services. Operation Jetway data indicate that in
2000 law enforcement officers in Texas seized
538 kilograms of powdered cocaine and approxi-
mately 3 kilograms of crack cocaine that were
transported (or intended for transport) aboard
commercial aircraft, buses, trains, or via package
delivery services. The largest single seizure of
powdered cocaine (103 kg) in Texas as part of
Operation Jetway in 2000 was from a package
that was being shipped via the U.S. Postal Service
from McAllen to an address in Winston-Salem,
North Carolina.
Mexican DTOs operating near the border
supply powdered cocaine to drug markets in cities
throughout Texas as well as the rest of the United
States including Atlanta, Chicago, Memphis,
New York, St. Louis, and San Diego. These
Mexican DTOs typically consolidate and store
powdered cocaine at stash houses near the border,
including locations in Brownsville, El Paso,
Laredo, and McAllen for eventual transport to
drug markets. They also smuggle powdered
cocaine directly from Mexico to drug markets
within and outside the state.
Texas highways are used extensively to
transport cocaine within and through the state.
Interstates 10 and 20, which traverse the state
National Drug Intelligence Center
from east to west, frequently are used by traffick-
ers to transport cocaine to other states. Interstate
35, which originates at the U.S.–Mexico border
in Laredo, is used to transport cocaine north to San
Antonio, Austin, and Dallas as well as to drug
markets in northern states. U.S. Highway 90,
which extends from I-10 through San Antonio to
Houston, is used to transport cocaine from the El
Paso area to cities in the eastern United States.
Powdered cocaine frequently is seized from
vehicles traveling on Texas highways. Operation
Pipeline/Convoy data indicate that state and local
law enforcement officers in Texas seized 2,641
kilograms of cocaine from commercial and pri-
vate vehicles traveling on Texas highways in
2000. Crack cocaine accounted for less than 11
kilograms of the 2,641 kilograms seized in 2000.
Cocaine Concealment Methods
In January 2002 the Texas Department of
Public Safety seized 8 kilograms of powdered
cocaine from a tractor-trailer traveling east on
I-10 in Chambers County. The cocaine was
concealed beneath the bunk in the sleeper
compartment.
Also in January 2002 officers with the Texas
DPS seized more than 17 kilograms of pow-
dered cocaine from a private vehicle traveling
northbound on I-35 in Ellis County. The
cocaine was concealed in the gas tank.
Source: Texas Department of Public Safety.
In October 2000 federal agents seized 11 kilo-
grams of powdered cocaine found in an aban-
doned briefcase aboard a bus. The bus was
traveling on I-10 west of Sierra Blanca.
Source: El Paso Intelligence Center.
In August 2000 150 kilograms of powdered
cocaine were seized from a pickup truck trav-
eling north on US 59 in Nacogdoches en route
to Toledo, Ohio. The cocaine was hidden in
the stereo speakers and the bed of the truck.
Source: El Paso Intelligence Center.
19
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
Distribution
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the
primary wholesale distributors of powdered
cocaine in Texas. Colombian criminal groups,
OMGs, prison gangs, and street gangs also dis-
tribute wholesale quantities of powdered cocaine
in the state, although to a lesser extent. The El
Paso Police Department Gang Unit reports that
wholesale powdered cocaine distribution in its
region is conducted by Hispanic street gangs and
prison gangs such as Barrio Azteca. Moreover,
increasing numbers of Hispanic gang members
from Chicago and members of Midwestern Folk
Nation reportedly are moving to Texas to facilitate
the distribution of powdered cocaine to drug mar-
kets in Chicago and other areas in the Midwest.
Crack cocaine typically is not distributed in
wholesale quantities in Texas.
African American, Caucasian, Hispanic, and
Mexican criminal groups; local independent deal-
ers; OMGs; street gangs such as Black Disciples,
Bloods, Crips, and Latin Kings; and prison gangs
such as Mexikanemi, Raza Unida, Hermanos de
Heroin
Heroin poses a considerable threat to Texas.
Mexican black tar heroin and Mexican brown
powdered heroin are the predominant types
available throughout the state; however, South
American, Southeast Asian, and Southwest
Asian heroin are available to varying extents.
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups control the
transportation and wholesale distribution of
Mexican black tar and brown powdered heroin.
Colombian DTOs and criminal groups dominate
Abuse
Heroin abuse is a concern to law enforcement
agencies throughout Texas. In response to the
NDTS 2002, 13 percent of the 150 law enforce-
ment respondents in Texas who rated the level of
20
Pistoleros Latinos, and Texas Syndicate distribute
powdered cocaine at the retail level in Texas.
Retail quantities of crack cocaine are distrib-
uted by Mexican and other Hispanic criminal
groups, Caucasian and African American criminal
groups, local independent dealers, street gangs,
and prison gangs. African American gangs,
particularly Black Gangster Disciples, and His-
panic gangs such as Latin Kings control retail
crack cocaine distribution in Houston. In Austin
and San Antonio, African American street gangs
such as Bloods and Crips, and Hispanic street
gangs such as Raza Unida and Latin Kings
dominate crack cocaine distribution.
Most retail-level powdered and crack cocaine
distribution occurs in open-air markets in residen-
tial areas, including public housing complexes,
and in high-traffic commercial areas. Retail
quantities of powdered and crack cocaine often
are packaged in small plastic or cellophane bags
or in vials. Other packaging materials include
electrical tape, masking tape, and sandwich bags.
the transportation and wholesale distribution of
South American heroin, while Nigerian and other
West African groups control the transportation
and distribution of Southeast Asian and South-
west Asian heroin. Mexican criminal groups
dominate retail-level heroin distribution in the
state. However, African American, Caucasian,
and other Hispanic criminal groups, local inde-
pendent dealers, prison gangs, and street gangs
also distribute heroin at the retail level.
heroin abuse in their jurisdictions reported high
levels of abuse, 31 percent reported medium lev-
els, and 55 percent reported low levels of abuse.

Heroin abuse is a major concern to substance
abuse treatment providers in Texas. According to
TCADA, the number of adult heroin-related
admissions to TCADA-funded treatment facilities
increased in 2002 following 2 years of decline.
There were 4,528 adult treatment admissions for
heroin abuse in 1998, 5,114 in 1999, 4,005 in
2000, 3,945 in 2001, and 5,127 in 2002. Heroin
abuse among Texas youth appears to be stabiliz-
ing at low levels as evidenced by state treatment
statistics. According to TCADA, the number of
youth seeking treatment for heroin addiction at
TCADA-funded programs increased from 83 in
1998 to 122 in 1999 to 132 in 2000, decreased to
79 in 2001, and remained stable at 80 in 2002.
A growing number of younger heroin users
admitted to treatment report that they snort or
smoke black tar heroin. Law enforcement officials
report that individuals who snort black tar heroin
typically freeze the drug, then crush it into a powder
prior to administration. Smoking the drug involves
heating it on a piece of aluminum foil over an open
flame and inhaling rising wisps of smoke through a
straw or similar device—a process called chasing
the dragon.
The number of heroin ED mentions in the
Dallas metropolitan area fluctuated but decreased
overall from 1997 through 2001. In 1997 there
were 505 heroin ED mentions in Dallas, 500 in
1998, 428 in 1999, 478 in 2000, and 443 in 2001,
according to DAWN. The rate of heroin ED
mentions per 100,000 population in the Dallas
metropolitan area (14) was the second-lowest rate
(behind Minneapolis) among the 21 metropolitan
areas reporting to DAWN in 2001.
Across the state the number of deaths in
which heroin was a factor fluctuated but remained
Availability
Heroin is available throughout Texas; 49 per-
cent of the 158 law enforcement respondents to
the NDTS 2002 in Texas who rated the level of
heroin availability reported that heroin was
National Drug Intelligence Center
relatively stable from 1997 to 2001. According to
TCADA, there were 333 heroin-related deaths in
Texas in 1997, 374 in 1998, 370 in 1999, 320 in
2000, and 339 in 2001. In the Dallas metropolitan
area, heroin/morphine-related deaths fluctuated
but remained relatively stable from 1997 to 2001.
According to DAWN, there were 73 heroin/mor-
phine-related deaths reported in the Dallas metro-
politan area in 1997, 69 in 1998, 77 in 1999, 94 in
2000, and 76 in 2001. Mortality data from
DAWN indicate that in the San Antonio metro-
politan area, heroin/morphine-related deaths
increased notably from 1997 to 2001. There were
30 deaths in 1997, 30 in 1998, 77 in 1999, 90 in
2000, and 88 in 2001. Heroin-related deaths are
also a significant concern in other areas of Texas.
In April 2001 a series of heroin overdose deaths
occurred in Travis County, which includes the city
of Austin. Ten individuals died from heroin over-
doses that month—four in one week alone. In
Houston 15 individuals died from heroin over-
doses over one weekend in August 2001. Law
enforcement and health authorities attributed these
overdose deaths to high-purity heroin that abusers
were led to believe was cocaine.
The number of calls to Texas Poison Control
Centers increased from 181 calls in 1998 to 218
in 1999 and 295 in 2000, then decreased to 241 in
2001 and 221 in 2002.
In 2001 heroin/opiates were detected in a
fairly large percentage of adult male arrestees in
Dallas, Laredo, and San Antonio. According to
ADAM program data, in 2001, 4.8 percent of
adult male arrestees tested positive for heroin or
another opiate in Dallas, 10.7 percent tested
positive in Laredo, and 9.1 percent tested positive
in San Antonio.
readily available in their jurisdictions. Mexican
black tar heroin is the predominant type available
in Texas; Mexican brown powdered heroin is also
available but to a lesser extent. South American
21
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

heroin is primarily available in Dallas and Hous-
ton. Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin
availability is limited in the state.
The quantity of heroin seized by federal law
enforcement officers in Texas has fluctuated but
remains high in comparison with other states.
According to FDSS data, federal law enforcement
officers in Texas seized 138 kilograms of heroin
in 1998, 118 kilograms in 1999, 189 kilograms in
2000, 142 kilograms in 2001, and 291 kilograms
in 2002. Although the quantity of heroin seized
by federal officers fluctuated, heroin availability
remains high—Texas ranked third nationwide in
the amount of heroin seized by federal officers in
2002. (See Table 1 on page 3.)
According to USSC data, in FY2001, 2 per-
cent of drug-related federal sentences in Texas
were heroin-related compared with 7 percent
nationally. The number of heroin-related federal
sentences in Texas decreased each year from 176
in FY1997 to 98 in FY2001.
Heroin prices are relatively stable throughout
most areas of Texas. According to DEA, in
FY2002 Mexican black tar heroin sold for
$35,000 to $60,000 per kilogram in Dallas and
approximately $31,000 per kilogram in El Paso.
During that period, Mexican black tar heroin
sold for $1,600 to $2,800 per ounce in Dallas,
$1,000 to $1,500 per ounce in El Paso, and
$1,000 to $2,000 per ounce in Houston. In
FY2002 retail quantities of Mexican black tar
heroin sold for $150 to $250 per gram in Dallas
and $100 per gram in El Paso. (Retail prices
were not available for Houston.) In Dallas during
the first quarter of FY2003 Mexican brown pow-
dered heroin sold for $800 to $1,600 per ounce
and $10 to $20 per capsule. Mexican brown pow-
dered heroin prices were not available for El
Paso or Houston. During the same time period,
South American heroin sold for $60,000 to
$70,000 per kilogram and $2,000 per ounce in
Dallas. (No other prices were available.)
The purity of heroin varies throughout Texas,
depending on location and type. The North Texas
HIDTA reports that the purity level of Mexican
black tar heroin increased from an average of 47
percent in 1998 to an average of nearly 60 percent
in FY2001. The DEA Dallas Division reports that
purity levels for South American heroin in its
jurisdiction ranged from 74 to 89 percent. (No
other purity information was available.)

Table 4. Purity and Price of Heroin Purchased in

Dallas, El Paso, and Houston by DEA, 1995–2001

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Dallas Purity 6.8% 3.5% 7.0% 11.8% 14.0% 16.0% 13.4%

Price/Milligram Pure $2.34 $6.66 $4.16 $1.06 $1.01 $0.69 $1.36

Houston Purity 16.0% 26.1% 16.3% 34.8% 17.4% 18.2% 11.3%

Price/Milligram Pure $1.36 $2.15 $2.20 $2.43 $1.24 $1.14 $1.51

El Paso Purity* NA NA NA NA 56.7% 50.8% 41.8%

Price Milligram Pure NA NA NA NA $0.49 $0.34 $0.44

Source: Drug Enforcement Administration.

*El Paso began reporting in mid-1999.

22

Violence
Heroin-related violence occurs throughout
Texas, primarily in connection with distribution of
the drug. Several violent prison gangs and street
gangs distribute heroin in Texas. The Mexikanemi
prison gang reportedly commits violent crimes
such as extortion and murder to protect its heroin
distribution operations. Members of Hermanos de
Pistoleros Latinos, a prison gang that distributes
various illicit drugs including heroin, frequently
commit violent crimes such as burglary, homicide,
and weapons trafficking on the West Side of San
Antonio. Some of these crimes are committed in
connection with their heroin distribution activi-
ties. Barrio Azteca (see text box), the most violent
prison gang in El Paso County, distributes heroin,
along with cocaine, marijuana, and other danger-
ous drugs such as MDMA and Rohypnol. Its mem-
bers have been implicated in drug-related
kidnapping, extortion, homicide, and murder-for-
hire. The Vario Arnett-Benson and North Side
Locos street gangs that distribute heroin in the
Lubbock area reportedly have engaged in violent
criminal activity in connection with their heroin
distribution operations, including assault—particu-
larly on law enforcement officers—drive-by shoot-
ing, homicide, and armed robbery.
Production
Opium is not cultivated nor is heroin pro-
duced in Texas. Heroin is produced in four
primary source regions: Mexico, South America,
Southeast Asia, and Southwest Asia. Most of the
Transportation
Heroin frequently is seized at or near the
U.S.–Mexico border in Texas. EPIC data indi-
cate that the amount of heroin seized in Texas
within 150 miles of the U.S.–Mexico border
more than doubled from 80 kilograms in 1999 to
National Drug Intelligence Center
Barrio Azteca
Barrio Azteca is currently the largest and most
violent prison gang operating in the El Paso
County area. The gang was formed by
inmates in the Coffield Unit of the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice in 1986. The
gang has a paramilitary structure and an
established leadership hierarchy. The “cap-
tains” maintain control of the organization,
directing its drug trafficking operations and
other criminal activities.
Heroin abusers generally are not associated
with violent crime; however, abusers in Texas
periodically commit property crimes to acquire
money to purchase the drug. Odessa law enforce-
ment officials report that local heroin abusers
commit burglary in the city to support their heroin
addiction. Moreover, the Plano Police Department
reports that property crime in its jurisdiction often
is linked to heroin abusers. Department officials
also report that a large number of heroin users
between the ages of 14 and 21 live in the neigh-
borhoods where these crimes are committed.
heroin available in Texas is produced in Mexico;
however, heroin from all of the primary source
regions is available to some degree in the state.
162 kilograms in 2002. EPIC data also indicate
that 66 percent of the heroin seized within 150
miles of the U.S.–Mexico border in 2002 was
seized in Texas. (See Table 5 on page 24.)
23
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
Table 5. Heroin Seizures Within 150 Miles
of the U.S.–Mexico Border
in Kilograms, 1999–2002
1999 2000 2001 2002
Arizona 12 59 6 9
California 119 106 240 71
New Mexico 8 3 3 2
Texas 80 70 129 162
Source: El Paso Intelligence Center.
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups domi-
nate the smuggling of Mexican black tar and
brown powdered heroin into Texas. These DTOs
and criminal groups typically smuggle heroin
through and between POEs along the U.S.–
Mexico border, particularly in South Texas.
Colombian DTOs and criminal groups control
the smuggling of South American heroin into
Texas, often employing Mexican criminal groups
to transport the drug across the U.S.–Mexico
border. Colombian DTOs and criminal groups
also control the transportation of South Ameri-
can heroin within the state. They generally trans-
port the drug to drug markets in major urban
areas, primarily Dallas and Houston, and to drug
markets in other states, either on their own or by
contracting with others, including Dominican,
Haitian, and Mexican criminal groups. Nigerian
and other West African criminal groups control
the transportation of Southeast Asian and South-
west Asian heroin into Texas. Most of this heroin
is destined for cities outside Texas, such as Chi-
cago and New York City.
Heroin transporters use a variety of methods
to smuggle the drug into the state. Mexican DTOs
and criminal groups primarily smuggle Mexican
black tar and brown powdered heroin into the
state in commercial and private vehicles outfitted
24
with specially designed hidden compartments.
They commonly conceal heroin in toolboxes,
bumpers, tires, gas tanks, engine compartments,
or in shipments of legitimate cargo. Operation
Pipeline/Convoy data indicate that state and local
law enforcement officers in Texas seized 6 kilo-
grams of heroin from commercial and private
vehicles traveling on Texas highways in 2000.
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups also
commonly use couriers traveling aboard commer-
cial and private aircraft; buses, boats, and passen-
ger trains; couriers traveling on foot between the
POEs; and package delivery services to transport
Mexican black tar and brown powdered heroin
into Texas. Colombian DTOs and criminal groups
primarily use couriers aboard commercial aircraft
as well as package delivery services to smuggle
South American heroin into Texas. Nigerian and
other West African criminal groups use couriers
aboard commercial aircraft and package delivery
services to smuggle Southeast Asian and South-
west Asian heroin into the state.
Heroin transporters often use locations in
Texas as transshipment points for heroin destined
for markets outside the state. Seizure data indicate
that the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in
Houston frequently are used by couriers en route
to major drug markets outside Texas, including
Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, New-
ark, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis. Oper-
ation Jetway data indicate that in 2000 law
enforcement officers in Texas seized 61.2 kilo-
grams of heroin that were transported (or intended
for transport) aboard commercial aircraft, buses,
trains, or via package delivery services. In 2000
the largest heroin seizure under Operation Jetway
in Texas was 24 kilograms seized from the lug-
gage of an airline passenger destined for New
York City.
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Heroin Concealment Methods

The Texas Department of Public Safety, in cooperation with the South Texas HIDTA, seized nearly
34 kilograms of Mexican brown powdered heroin on April 12, 2002. The heroin, discovered during a
highway interdiction in Atascosa County, had been transported from McAllen and was destined for
San Antonio. It was packaged in tin cans and concealed within the tires of a pickup truck. This sei-
zure is unusual because law enforcement authorities previously have encountered this conceal-
ment method only in connection with marijuana smuggling.
Source: Texas Department of Public Safety.

USCS officials at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport seized heroin-soaked clothing from a male
passenger in April 2002. The clothing was concealed in a duffel bag and contained approximately 2
to 4 kilograms of heroin. The suspect was traveling from Caracas, Venezuela, to New York City and
reportedly was paid $15,000 by a Colombian man to transport the heroin. This was the first seizure
of heroin-soaked clothing at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Source: U.S. Customs Service (now part of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection).

In August 2002 USCS officials in Laredo seized three large shipments of Mexican brown powdered
heroin. On August 1, 2002, inspectors at the Laredo POE arrested a Mexican citizen who was car-
rying a tote bag containing four jackets with 3.3 kilograms of Mexican brown powdered heroin sewn
into the linings. Following this seizure, USCS agents searched the suspect’s hotel room and seized
an additional 6.8 kilograms of Mexican brown powdered heroin that was sewn into the linings of
eight other jackets. On August 18, 2002, officials at the Laredo POE seized 6.3 kilograms of Mexi-
can brown powdered heroin sewn into the linings of 19 articles of clothing that were packed in a
suitcase.
Source: U.S. Customs Service (now part of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection).

On April 1, 2003, CBP (Border Patrol) agents seized 6.8 kilograms of Mexican black tar heroin from
a commercial bus passenger at a checkpoint in western Texas. CBP agents at the Sierra Blanca
checkpoint stopped the bus, which was traveling east on I-10 from El Paso to San Antonio. Agents
had instructed the passengers to exit the bus and claim their luggage; however, a backpack and a
plastic bag were not claimed. The agents examined the backpack and plastic bag, finding five pairs
of shoes that seemed unusually heavy. Upon further examination, the agents found heroin con-
cealed inside the soles of the shoes. One of the passengers admitted to transporting the bags and
claimed that an individual in El Paso had asked him to take the bags to San Antonio on the bus. The
passenger, a Mexican citizen, was arrested.
Source: Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.

Distribution

Mexican DTOs and criminal groups are the
primary wholesale distributors of Mexican black
tar and brown powdered heroin throughout Texas.
Colombian and Dominican DTOs and criminal
groups dominate the wholesale distribution of
South American heroin in the state. Nigerian and
other West African criminal groups control the
wholesale distribution of Southeast and Southwest
Asian heroin; Asian criminal groups also distribute
Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin at the
wholesale level as well, although to a lesser extent.
Mexican criminal groups dominate the retail
distribution of heroin in Texas, generally selling
Mexican black tar and brown powdered heroin.
Other Hispanic criminal groups, African American
25
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
and Caucasian criminal groups as well as local
independent dealers, street gangs, and prison gangs
such as Barrio Azteca, Hermanos de Pistoleros
Marijuana
Marijuana is a significant drug threat to
Texas. Marijuana produced in Mexico is the pre-
dominant type available throughout the state.
Locally produced marijuana is also available,
although to a lesser extent. Cannabis cultivation
occurs within the state, primarily in the eastern
and northern regions and generally is controlled
by Caucasian criminal groups and independent
dealers. Mexican DTOs and criminal groups
dominate the smuggling of marijuana into Texas;
Abuse
Marijuana is available and abused throughout
Texas. In response to the NDTS 2002, 74 percent
of the 164 law enforcement respondents in Texas
who rated the level of marijuana abuse in their
jurisdictions reported high levels of abuse, and 22
percent reported medium levels of abuse. Only 4
percent reported low levels of abuse. Despite the
high levels of marijuana abuse in the state, com-
bined data from the 1999 and the 2000 NHSDA
indicate that the percentage of Texas residents
aged 12 and older who reported having abused
marijuana at least once in the month prior to the
survey (3.4%) was lower than the percentage
nationwide (4.8%).
Marijuana abuse in Texas is a concern to
treatment providers. According to TCADA, the
number of adult treatment admissions for marijuana
abuse fluctuated but increased overall from 1998
through 2002. There were 3,057 admissions in
1998, 3,705 in 1999, 3,207 in 2000, 3,643 in
2001, and 4,182 in 2002.
Marijuana abuse by adolescents is of particu-
lar concern to law enforcement and health profes-
sionals. According to TCADA, marijuana was the
primary drug of abuse for 82 percent of the 5,178
youth drug treatment admissions (excluding
26
Latinos, Mexikanemi, and Texas Syndicate also
serve as retail-level heroin distributors in the state.
they also dominate the wholesale distribution of
the drug. Caucasian, Colombian, and Jamaican
criminal groups; local independent dealers;
prison gangs; street gangs; and OMGs also dis-
tribute marijuana at the wholesale level. Cauca-
sian, African American, Jamaican, and Hispanic
criminal groups; local independent dealers;
prison gangs; and street gangs are the primary
retail-level distributors of marijuana in the state.
alcohol) to TCADA-funded facilities in 2002.
Moreover, marijuana was reported by seventh-
through twelfth-grade students as the most com-
monly used illicit drug in the state, according to
the 2002 Texas School Survey of Substance Use
Among Students: Grades 7-12. According to sur-
vey responses, the average age of first marijuana
use among students in Texas is 13.
The number of marijuana ED mentions in the
Dallas metropolitan area fluctuated but increased
overall from 1997 to 2001. According to DAWN,
there were 916 marijuana ED mentions in 1997,
1,510 in 1998, 1,172 in 1999, 1,225 in 2000, and
1,049 in 2001. The rate of marijuana mentions
per 100,000 population in the Dallas metropolitan
area (34) was the lowest rate among the 21 metro-
politan areas reporting to DAWN.
Marijuana commonly is detected in adult
male arrestees in Texas. According to ADAM
program data for 2001, 32.9 percent of adult male
arrestees tested positive for marijuana abuse in
Dallas, 26.4 percent tested positive in Laredo, and
40.7 percent tested positive in San Antonio.

Availability
Marijuana is readily available throughout
Texas; 98 percent of the 172 law enforcement
respondents to the NDTA 2002 in Texas who
rated the level of marijuana availability reported
that marijuana was readily available in their juris-
dictions. Marijuana produced in Mexico is the
predominant type available in the state. Marijuana
produced in Texas is also available, although to a
lesser extent.
Marijuana frequently is seized in Texas, and
seizures often involve large quantities of the drug.
FDSS data indicate that the quantity of marijuana
seized by federal law enforcement officers in
Texas increased dramatically from 364,525 kilo-
grams in 1998 to 540,197 in 1999 and 629,886 in
2000. Thereafter, the quantity of marijuana seized
declined to 610,828 kilograms in 2000 and
555,324 in 2002. Despite the decline, Texas
ranked first nationwide in the amount of mari-
juana seized by federal officers in 2002. (See
Table 1 on page 3.) According to FDSS data, the
total amount of marijuana seized in Texas in 2002
(555,324 kilograms) was greater than the amount
seized in the other 49 states combined (approxi-
mately 488,000 kilograms).
Violence
Marijuana-related violence occurs periodically
in Texas, usually in connection with production or
distribution of the drug. Law enforcement officials
report that cannabis cultivators sometimes use
animal traps, armed guards, explosive devices, and
trip wires to secure their production sites. Street
gangs that distribute marijuana, such as Asian
Pride, commit drive-by shootings, extortion, home
invasions, and assaults, some of which likely are
related to their marijuana distribution operations.
National Drug Intelligence Center
According to USSC data, in FY2001, 64 per-
cent of drug-related federal sentences in Texas
were marijuana-related, compared with 33 per-
cent nationally. Moreover, the number of mari-
juana-related federal sentences in Texas increased
from 1,684 in FY1997 to 2,907 in FY2001.
Marijuana prices vary throughout the state
depending on potency, quantities purchased, pur-
chase frequencies, buyer-seller relationships, and
transportation costs. According to DEA, during
the fourth quarter of FY2002 wholesale prices for
commercial-grade marijuana ranged from $450 to
$700 per pound in Dallas, $250 to $500 per
pound in El Paso, and $300 to $600 per pound in
Houston. Retail quantities sold for $10 per gram
in Dallas and $4 per gram in El Paso. (Gram
prices were not available for Houston.) Sinsemilla
sold for $900 to $1,200 per pound at the whole-
sale level in Dallas. (No other prices for sinsemilla
were available.) Marijuana potency also varies
throughout the state. According to the Potency
Monitoring Project, the average concentration of
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) for commercial-
grade marijuana in Texas was 6.2 percent in 2000.
(No other potency information was available.)
CBP authorities report that violent confron-
tations between law enforcement and drug
smugglers in the border area have increased.
Incidents of smugglers carrying guns also have
become increasingly common, according to
CBP and EPIC. (See text box on page 28.)
According to Operation Pipeline/Convoy data,
24 of the 46 weapons seized from drug trans-
porters on Texas highways in 2000 were seized
from marijuana transporters.
27
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

U.S. Border Patrol Agent Wounded by Marijuana Smuggler

On October 12, 2002, a USBP agent was shot in the leg by Mexican marijuana smugglers near Fort
Hancock, Texas. The incident began after USBP agents became suspicious of a pickup truck travel-
ing in an area along the U.S.–Mexico border that often is used as a drug smuggling route. The
agents pursued the truck for approximately 30 minutes until the smugglers drove the truck into the
Rio Grande River and fled on foot through the river into Mexico. When the agents approached the
abandoned truck, the smugglers shot at them. The agents returned fire, and during the exchange
one of the agents was wounded in the leg. The smugglers then fled farther into Mexico. During a
subsequent search authorities discovered 1,901 pounds of marijuana concealed in the cab and bed
of the truck.
Source: U.S. Border Patrol (now part of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection).

Production

Marijuana produced in Mexico and Texas is
available throughout the state; however, Mexico-
produced marijuana is the dominant type. Can-
nabis is cultivated in the state at indoor and out-
door grow sites. Indoor grow sites are located in
every part of the state, while outdoor grow sites
primarily are located in the eastern and northern
areas of the state. The climate and topography in
western and southern Texas are not conducive to
outdoor cannabis cultivation. Caucasian criminal
groups and independent Caucasian producers are
the primary cultivators of cannabis within Texas.
Mexican criminal groups and independent Mexi-
can producers also cultivate cannabis in the state,
but to a lesser extent. Cannabis cultivators often
use dense, forested areas, many of which are in the
eastern part of the state, as cultivation sites to avoid
detection by law enforcement. These cultivation
sites are typically small, containing 30 to 40 plants,
well-concealed, and scattered over large areas.
Eradication data indicate that cannabis culti-
vation in Texas may be increasing. According to
the DEA Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Sup-
pression Program (DCE/SP), the number of can-
nabis plants eradicated by law enforcement
officials in Texas decreased from 60,687 in 1999
to 26,433 in 2000, and then increased to 50,110 in
2001. During that period the number of eradi-
cated plants cultivated in outdoor plots decreased
from 58,164 in 1999 to 21,759 in 2000, and then
increased to 40,133 in 2001. The number of
plants seized from indoor grow operations in
Texas increased from 2,523 in 1999 to 4,674 in
2000, then to 9,977 in 2001.

Transportation

Texas is a significant entry point for mari-
juana smuggled into the United States. EPIC data
reflecting drug seizures made within 150 miles of
the U.S.–Mexico border indicate that more mari-
juana was seized in Texas than in any other state
along the border from 1999 through 2002. (See
Table 6.)
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups dominate
the smuggling of marijuana from Mexico into
Texas. They typically smuggle marijuana into
Texas across the U.S.–Mexico border through
POEs and transport the drug to locations within
the state or to drug markets throughout the coun-
try. Caucasian independent dealers also smuggle
marijuana into Texas, but to a lesser extent.

28

Table 6. Marijuana Seizures Within 150 Miles of the
U.S.–Mexico Border, in Pounds, 1999–2002
1999 2000
Arizona 169,586 197,036
California 191,569 230,110
New Mexico 35,079 45,209
Texas 402,567 459,619
Source: El Paso Intelligence Center.
Marijuana transporters primarily smuggle
the drug into and through Texas in private and
commercial vehicles. (See text box on page
30.) Seizure data indicate that large quantities
of marijuana are transported into and through
the state via highways. State and local law
enforcement officers in Texas reporting to
Operations Pipeline/Convoy seized a total of
63,514 kilograms of marijuana from commer-
cial and private vehicles traveling on Texas
highways in 2000. Marijuana was, by far, the
most frequently seized drug under Operations
Pipeline/Convoy.
The private and commercial vehicles used to
transport marijuana into and through the state
often are outfitted with specially designed hidden
compartments. Marijuana has been discovered in
toolboxes, bumpers, tires and spare tires, gas
tanks, engine compartments, and in various other
compartments built into vehicles. Marijuana
transporters also intermingle the drug with legiti-
mate cargo in trucks, for example among perish-
able goods such as fruits and vegetables.
Marijuana transporters also smuggle mari-
juana into Texas using couriers traveling aboard
commercial and private aircraft, buses, boats, and
passenger trains; couriers traveling between
POEs on horses, all-terrain vehicles, and foot;
and package delivery services. Operation Jetway
data indicate that in 2000, law enforcement offic-
ers in Texas seized 11,659 kilograms of mari-
juana that were transported (or intended for
transport) aboard commercial aircraft, buses,
National Drug Intelligence Center
2001 2002
212,229 246,161
202,046 126,161
51,527 37,347
592,771 604,993
trains, or via package delivery services. The larg-
est number of marijuana seizures was from buses
(482), followed by 241 seizures from packages,
62 seizures at airports, and 39 seizures from train
passengers or luggage.
In addition, Mexican DTOs also smuggle mar-
ijuana into the state via coastal freighters and fish-
ing boats. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) seized
more than 8,000 pounds of marijuana from an
abandoned commercial fishing vessel near South
Padre Island in January 2002. USCG also seized
more than 1,700 pounds of marijuana near Port
Mansfield in February 2002 from a Mexican shark
boat that originated from Playa Baghdad, Mexico.
Drug transporters also smuggle marijuana
into Texas on freight railcars. In March 2002 USCS
agents in Laredo, Texas, seized 1,831 pounds of
marijuana from a railcar crossing the border from
Mexico into the United States. The marijuana was
concealed in 25 burlap bags hidden in the car. In
December 2002 workers at a paper mill in Louisi-
ana discovered 2,260 pounds of marijuana in a
railcar that originated in Mexico City and crossed
into the United States at the Laredo POE. The
marijuana was packed into 62 bundles and placed
in 22 burlap bags that measured 4 feet by 2 feet,
weighed at least 100 pounds each, and were cam-
ouflaged on the floor of the car. Officials from the
West Monroe Metro Narcotics Unit in Louisiana
believe the marijuana was destined for a location
in southern Texas and, for an unknown reason,
was not unloaded at its intended destination.
29
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

Large Seizures at Texas POEs

On February 7, 2003, USCS officials in El Paso seized more than 6 tons (12,620 pounds) of mari-
juana from a tractor-trailer that entered the United States at the Bridge of the Americas. An x-ray
inspection revealed discrepancies in a load of wooden pallets in the trailer, and a drug-detection
canine alerted to the presence of drugs in the trailer. The marijuana was packaged in cardboard
boxes hidden behind the pallets. Two male Mexican nationals from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, were
arrested in the incident.
The largest marijuana seizure to date at the Laredo POE occurred on January 17, 2003, when
USCS officials arrested a Mexican national and seized more than 4.5 tons of marijuana from a trac-
tor-trailer. During an x-ray inspection, examiners noted discrepancies in the truck’s cargo that was
supposed to be boxes of empty glass containers. The inspectors then searched the trailer with a
drug-detecting canine, which alerted to some of the boxes. When inspectors opened the boxes,
they discovered 9,331 pounds of marijuana. The driver of the truck, a resident of Nuevo Laredo,
Mexico, was arrested on federal charges of importation and possession with intent to distribute a
controlled substance.
On June 29, 2002, USCS inspectors at the Bridge of Americas commercial cargo facility in El Paso
seized a total of 11,803 pounds of marijuana from three tractor-trailers during a 70-minute time
frame. In each incident, the marijuana was packaged in numerous small bundles and concealed
behind false walls built into the front of the trailers. One trailer contained a total of 4,661 pounds of
marijuana, another contained 4,918 pounds, and the third contained 2,224 pounds.
In February 2002 USCS officials in El Paso seized nearly 12,500 pounds of marijuana in one night.
More than 2,050 pounds of marijuana were seized from a bus entering the United States from Mex-
ico at the El Paso POE, and more than 10,400 pounds were seized from a private vehicle and a
warehouse in the El Paso area.
In January 2002 USBP officials in Falfurrias seized approximately 4,000 pounds of marijuana from
two tractor-trailers. Nearly 3,290 pounds were concealed inside a shipment of french fries, and 656
pounds were hidden in a load of bananas.
Sources: U.S. Customs Service and U.S. Border Patrol (now part of the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection).

Mexican DTOs and criminal groups increas-
ingly are using juveniles to smuggle marijuana
across the U.S.–Mexico border. In 2001, 162
juveniles were arrested for smuggling marijuana
through the El Paso POE. The number of juvenile
arrests has increased each year from 83 in 1997 to
99 in 1998, 148 in 1999, and 155 in 2000.
A large percentage of the marijuana smug-
gled across the U.S.–Mexico border into Texas
is consolidated in Brownsville, El Paso, Hous-
ton, Laredo, McAllen, and San Antonio for
later transportation to drug markets in Texas, as
well as drug markets in the Southeast, Midwest,
and Northeast regions of the country. Mexican
DTOs and criminal groups commonly transport
this marijuana along I-10, I-20, and I-35 en
route to destination cities such as Atlanta, Balti-
more, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Memphis,
Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York City, and
Philadelphia. Local independent dealers also
transport locally produced marijuana along
these routes, but most is intended for distribu-
tion in the area in which it is produced.

30

Distribution
Mexican DTOs and criminal groups dominate
the wholesale distribution of marijuana through-
out Texas. Caucasian, Colombian, and Jamaican
criminal groups; local independent dealers;
prison gangs; street gangs; and OMGs also dis-
tribute marijuana at the wholesale level. Local
independent producers generally serve as whole-
sale distributors of the marijuana they produce
within the state.
Caucasian, African American, Jamaican, and
Hispanic criminal groups; local independent deal-
ers; prison gangs such as Barrio Azteca and Texas
Syndicate; and street gangs including Barrio
Denver Harbor and Mara Salvatrucha distribute
Other Dangerous Drugs
Other dangerous drugs (ODDs) include the
club drugs MDMA, GHB and its analogs, ket-
amine, LSD, and Rohypnol; the hallucinogen
PCP; and diverted pharmaceuticals. MDMA is
readily available and abused in Texas and poses
a considerable drug threat to the state. Other
ODDs present varying threats to Texas. Various
criminal groups transport club drugs into Texas
via private vehicles, commercial aircraft, couri-
ers on foot (crossing the U.S.–Mexico border),
and package delivery services. Club drugs pri-
marily are sold and abused by middle-class,
Club Drugs
Club drugs consist of illicit drugs that are com-
monly diverted and used at dance clubs and raves,
including MDMA, GHB and its analogs, ketamine,
LSD, and Rohypnol. These drugs are increasingly
being used in suburban and rural areas. Club drugs
are becoming increasingly popular in Texas, par-
ticularly among teenagers and young adults. Club
drugs are a major concern among law enforcement
and health professionals in Texas, who report
increasing availability and use.
National Drug Intelligence Center
marijuana at the retail level in Texas. These crim-
inal groups, gangs, and local independent dealers
typically are supplied by Mexican criminal
groups. However, local independent producers
also supply many of these groups, gangs, and
independent dealers with locally produced mari-
juana, generally for retail distribution at or near
the area in which the drug was produced.
Marijuana packaging varies depending on the
amount distributed. Wholesale quantities are
packaged in a variety of materials including cello-
phane, packaging tape, carbon paper, and plastic
wrap. Retail quantities of marijuana commonly
are packaged in plastic sandwich bags.
suburban teenagers and young adults at raves
and nightclubs and on college campuses. PCP
generally is distributed by local independent
dealers throughout the state. Pharmaceuticals
such as oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone
(Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), alpra-
zolam (Xanax), and cough syrup with codeine
typically are diverted through a variety of tech-
niques including pharmacy diversion, “doctor
shopping,” and improper prescribing practices
by physicians.
MDMA. MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymetham-
phetamine), also known as Adam, ecstasy,
XTC, E, and X, is a stimulant and low-level
hallucinogen. The drug was patented in 1914 in
Germany where it was sometimes given to
psychiatric patients to assist in psychotherapy,
a practice never approved by the American
Psychological Association or the Food and
Drug Administration. MDMA, sometimes
called the hug drug, reportedly helps users to
31
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
Raves
Throughout the 1990s high energy, all-night
dances known as raves, which feature techno
music and flashing laser lights, increased in
popularity among teens and young adults.
Raves typically occur in permanent dance
clubs or temporary weekend event sites set up
in abandoned warehouses, open fields, empty
buildings, or civic centers. MDMA is one of the
most popular drugs distributed at raves. Rave
managers often sell water, pacifiers, and glow
sticks at rave parties. “Ravers” require water to
offset dehydration caused by MDMA abuse;
use pacifiers to avoid grinding their teeth—a
common side effect of MDMA abuse; and
wave glow sticks in front of their eyes because
MDMA stimulates light perception.
become more “in touch” with others and
“opens channels of communication.” However,
abuse of the drug can cause psychological
problems similar to those associated with meth-
amphetamine and cocaine abuse, including con-
fusion, depression, sleeplessness, anxiety, and
paranoia. Negative physical effects can also
result, including muscle tension, involuntary
teeth clenching, blurred vision, and increased
heart rate and blood pressure. MDMA abuse
can also cause a marked increase in body tem-
perature leading to muscle breakdown, kidney
failure, cardiovascular system failure, stroke,
or seizure as reported in some fatal cases.
Researchers suggest that MDMA abuse may
result in long-term and sometimes permanent
damage to parts of the brain that are critical to
thought and memory.
Teenagers and young adults are the primary
abusers of MDMA; however, MDMA is gaining
popularity among older users. According to
TCADA, MDMA-related treatment admissions to
TCADA-funded treatment facilities increased
from 63 in 1998 to 521 in 2002. MDMA is
widely available throughout Texas, particularly in
metropolitan areas such as Austin, Dallas, Hous-
ton, and San Antonio. DAWN data indicate that
MDMA ED mentions in the Dallas metropolitan
area increased dramatically from 17 in 1997 to 77
32
in 2001. Contributing to the threat is increasing
MDMA availability in suburban and rural areas.
Law enforcement authorities in Bee, Gonzales,
and Wharton Counties report increased MDMA
availability in their jurisdictions.
MDMA Use Lower Among Students
Living Near the U.S.–Mexico Border
MDMA use is lower among students in the
border region of Texas than in other areas in
the state. The 2002 Texas School Survey of
Substance Use Among Students: Grades 7-
12, reported that 6 percent of students in
grades 7 through 12 living in the border region
used MDMA at least once during their lifetime,
and 2.6 percent used MDMA in the past
month. By comparison, 9 percent of students
living elsewhere in the state reported lifetime
use of MDMA, and 3.2 percent reported past
month use.
Source: Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.
Most of the MDMA abused in Texas is pro-
duced in the Netherlands and Belgium. MDMA
production may be emerging in Texas, but to a
very limited extent. MDMA is smuggled into
Texas from Canada, Europe, and Mexico prima-
rily by Israeli criminal groups. To a lesser extent,
Dominican criminal groups also smuggle MDMA
into Texas. MDMA transporters use several means
to smuggle the drug, including couriers on foot
entering the United States from Mexico, couriers
traveling on commercial and private aircraft, pri-
vate vehicles, and via package delivery services.
Caucasian local independent dealers and, to a
lesser extent, Asian criminal groups, are the pri-
mary wholesale and retail distributors of MDMA
in Texas. Many retail-level MDMA distributors in
Texas are middle and upper-middle class Cauca-
sian high school or college students. MDMA typ-
ically is distributed at colleges, raves, nightclubs,
and private parties. MDMA distributed in Texas
often is stamped with a brand name or a logo.
According to DEA, in the fourth quarter of
FY2002 MDMA sold for $25 per tablet in Dallas,
$16 to $20 per tablet in El Paso, and $10 to $30
per tablet in Houston.

MDMA also is transported from Texas to des-
tinations in other U.S. states. For example, some
Asian criminal groups transport shipments of
MDMA from Texas, primarily overland, to major
drug markets on the East Coast.
Large MDMA Seizure
in Jefferson County
On January 9, 2003, the Jefferson County
Sheriff's Department seized over 45,000
MDMA tablets and $300,000 from an automo-
bile traveling east on I-10 in Beaumont.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, an
officer stopped the vehicle because it was
being operated erratically. When the officer
approached the vehicle, the driver was unable
to roll down the window and had to exit the
vehicle to speak with the officer. The driver
consented to a search of the vehicle, at which
time the drugs and money were discovered
inside the driver’s side door. All three occu-
pants of the vehicle were arrested and
charged with aggravated possession of a con-
trolled substance. The three suspects were of
Vietnamese descent and allegedly were en
route from Houston to Connecticut.
Source: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.
GHB and Analogs. GHB (gamma-hydroxy-
butyrate) and its analogs are available throughout
the state; they pose a low and relatively stable
drug threat to Texas.
According to data from Texas Poison Control
Centers, the number of confirmed exposures to
GHB or its analogs increased from 110 in 1998 to
153 in 1999, then decreased to 100 in 2002.
DAWN data indicate that GHB ED mentions in
the Dallas metropolitan area increased signifi-
cantly from 72 in 1997 to 128 in 2001. In 2001
Dallas had the third-highest rate of GHB ED
mentions per 100,000 population among the 21
metropolitan areas reporting to DAWN.
GHB is a depressant that occurs naturally in
the body. Synthetic (man-made) GHB and its ana-
logs—drugs that possess chemical structures that
closely resemble GHB—are known as liquid
MDMA, scoop, grievous bodily harm, fantasy,
National Drug Intelligence Center
and Georgia home boy. GHB and its analogs
increasingly have been involved in poisonings,
overdoses, and fatalities nationwide. Overdoses
can occur quickly; some signs include drowsiness,
nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, impaired
breathing, and sometimes death. GHB and its
analogs often are used in the commission of drug-
facilitated sexual assault because of their sedative
properties. The drugs are eliminated from the
body quickly, which makes it difficult for health-
care professionals to detect them using blood and
urine screenings.
GHB available in Texas typically is sold and
abused at social venues such as bars, nightclubs,
and raves. According to DEA, during the fourth
quarter of FY2002 GHB sold for $5 to $25 per
dosage unit in Dallas and Houston. Young adults,
particularly Caucasians, are the principal retail
distributors and abusers of the drug. GHB analogs
typically are obtained at disreputable health food
stores, gyms, and via the Internet.
Ketamine. The threat posed to Texas by the dis-
tribution and abuse of ketamine is relatively low.
According to Texas Poison Control Centers, 8
confirmed exposures to ketamine were reported
in 1998, 7 in 1999, 15 in 2000, 14 in 2001, and 10
in 2002. DAWN data indicate that ketamine ED
mentions in the Dallas metropolitan area
increased from 3 in 1997 to 11 in 2001.
Ketamine is also known as K, special K, vita-
min K, ket, kit-kat, and cat valium. Ketamine was
placed on the Schedule III Controlled Substances
list in the United States on July 13, 1999. How-
ever, the drug is still available over the counter in
Mexico where it is sold as Kelar. It is an inject-
able anesthetic that in the United States is used
legally as an animal tranquilizer. Ketamine abus-
ers obtain the drug in liquid, powder, or tablet
form. In its liquid form it can be injected either
intramuscularly or intravenously. In its powder
form ketamine resembles cocaine or metham-
phetamine and often is snorted or smoked with
marijuana or tobacco products.
High doses of ketamine can cause delirium,
amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood
33
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
pressure, depression, and potentially fatal respira-
tory problems. Low doses impair attention, learn-
ing ability, and memory. Short-term use of
ketamine causes hallucinations; its major effect is
dissociation, which includes out-of-body and
near-death experiences. Ketamine gained popu-
larity among abusers in the 1980s when it was
discovered that large doses caused reactions simi-
lar to those experienced with PCP.
Ketamine usually is diverted from legitimate
sources, primarily veterinary clinics, and is typi-
cally sold in Texas at locations such as night-
clubs, raves, and techno parties. It also is sold
over the Internet. According to DEA, ketamine
sold for $2,200 to $2,500 per liter during the
fourth quarter of FY2002 in Dallas; no other
pricing information was available.
LSD. The distribution and abuse of LSD (lysergic
acid diethylamide) poses a low threat to Texas.
LSD, also known as acid, boomers, and yellow
sunshine, is a hallucinogen that induces abnor-
malities in sensory perceptions. The effects of
LSD are unpredictable depending upon the
amount taken, the environment in which it is
abused, and the abuser’s personality, mood, and
expectations. Abusers may feel the immediate
effects for up to 12 hours. The physical effects
include dilated pupils, higher body temperature,
increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating,
loss of appetite, nausea, numbness, weakness,
insomnia, dry mouth, and tremors. Two long-term
disorders associated with LSD are persistent
psychosis and flashbacks.
LSD is primarily available in urban areas of
Texas, such as Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Hous-
ton, Midland, Plano, San Antonio, and Texar-
kana. Most of the LSD available in Texas is
produced in California and typically is trans-
ported into the state by independent dealers in
private vehicles. Caucasian college and high
school students are the primary distributors of
LSD. They generally sell the drug to teenagers
and young adults at raves, bars, nightclubs, and
34
on college campuses. LSD is typically available
in powder and liquid forms, in tablets or capsules,
on pieces of blotter paper that absorb the drug, on
gelatin cubes, and on sugar cubes. LSD is also
available in various colors in gel tab form.
LSD prices vary depending on location.
According to DEA, LSD sold for $1 to $10 per
dose at the retail level in Dallas and $5 to $20 per
dose in El Paso during the fourth quarter of
FY2002. (Wholesale prices were not available.)
In Houston LSD sold for $450 per ounce at the
wholesale level and $10 per dose at the retail level
during the fourth quarter of FY2002.
Rohypnol. Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) poses a rel-
atively stable drug threat, primarily along the
Texas–Mexico border. According to Texas Poison
Control Centers, the number of confirmed expo-
sures to Rohypnol increased from 100 in 1998 to
124 in 2000. Treatment admissions for the abuse
of Rohypnol indicate relatively stable patterns of
Rohypnol abuse. According to TCADA, there
were 364 Rohypnol-related admissions to
TCADA-funded treatment facilities in 1999, 324
in 2000, 397 in 2001, and 368 in 2002.
Rohypnol, also called roofies, rophies, Roche,
and the forget-me pill, belongs to a class of drugs
known as benzodiazepines, which also includes
Valium, Klonopin, Halcion, Xanax, and Versed.
Rohypnol is not approved for prescription use in
the United States. Rohypnol is odorless, tasteless,
and dissolves completely in liquid. It produces
sedative-hypnotic effects, including muscle relax-
ation and amnesia, and can cause physiological
and psychological dependence. Rohypnol often is
used in the commission of drug-facilitated sexual
assault because of its sedative properties. The
effects of Rohypnol can impair or incapacitate a
victim for 8 to 12 hours, and are exacerbated by
the use of alcohol.
Rohypnol is sold and abused in Texas com-
monly at social venues such as bars, nightclubs, and
raves throughout the state. Young adults are the
principal retail distributors and abusers of the drug.

Hallucinogens
PCP. PCP (phencyclidine) is available through-
out Texas but, for the most part, availability is
limited to urban areas such as Dallas and Hous-
ton. DAWN data indicate that PCP ED mentions
in the Dallas metropolitan area increased from 36
in 1997 to 96 in 2001.
PCP was developed as an intravenous anes-
thetic, but use of the drug in humans was discon-
tinued in 1965 because patients became agitated,
delusional, and irrational while recovering from
its effects. PCP, also known as angel dust,
embalming fluid, ozone, wack, and rocket fuel, is
illegally produced in laboratories in the United
States. It is a white crystalline powder that is sol-
uble in water and has a bitter taste. The drug can
be mixed with dyes and is available as a tablet,
capsule, liquid, or colored powder.
PCP may be snorted, smoked, injected, or
swallowed. When smoked, PCP is often applied
to mint, parsley, oregano, tobacco, or marijuana.
When combined with marijuana, the mixture is
called a killer joint or crystal supergrass. Another
method of PCP administration involves dipping a
marijuana cigarette in a solution of PCP-laced
embalming fluid and smoking it. This combina-
tion is known as fry or amp. A study conducted
by TCADA revealed that fry abusers often are
unaware that marijuana cigarettes dipped in
embalming fluid usually contain PCP. Street deal-
ers reportedly add the hallucinogen to embalming
National Drug Intelligence Center
fluid prior to dipping the cigarettes. In 2000 there
were 121 marijuana-related calls to the Texas Poi-
son Control Centers that also involved formalde-
hyde, fry, amp, or PCP; in 2001 there were 155.
Most of the PCP available in Texas is pro-
duced in California and typically is transported
into the state by local independent dealers in pri-
vate vehicles. According to data from Operations
Pipeline and Jetway, in 2000 state and local law
enforcement officers in Texas seized a total of
14.8 kilograms of PCP that were transported (or
intended for transport) aboard commercial buses
and a total of 1.6 kilograms that were transported
in private vehicles. In addition, 10 of the 19 PCP
seizures under Operations Pipeline and Jetway in
the U.S. occurred in Texas. There were no PCP
seizures from commercial vehicles reported under
Operation Convoy in 2000.
Local independent dealers are the primary
distributors of PCP in the state. PCP is also dis-
tributed by street gangs primarily in the Houston
area. Prices for the drug vary depending on loca-
tion. According to DEA, liquid PCP sold for
$3,800 per 16-ounce bottle and $350 to $500 per
ounce at the wholesale level in Dallas. The drug
sold for $100 per gram at the retail level in Hous-
ton during the fourth quarter of FY2002. PCP-
laced cigarettes sold for $25 each at the retail
level in Dallas.
35
Texas Drug Threat Assessment
Diverted Pharmaceuticals
Diverted pharmaceuticals pose an increasing
threat to Texas. The most commonly diverted
pharmaceuticals in the state include hydrocodone
(Vicodin), alprazolam (Xanax), hydromorphone
(Dilaudid), oxycodone (OxyContin), cough syrup
with codeine, steroids, nasal spray (Stadol), and
carisoprodol (Soma).
Pharmaceuticals are diverted in a variety of
ways in Texas, including pharmacy diversion,
“doctor shopping,” and improper prescribing
practices by physicians. Pharmacy diversion
occurs when pharmacy employees steal products
from the shelves or through prescription forger-
ies. Diversion through doctor shopping occurs
when individuals, who may or may not have a
legitimate ailment, visit numerous physicians to
obtain drugs in excess of what should legitimately
be prescribed.
According to DEA, in the fourth quarter of
FY2002 most diverted pharmaceuticals sold for
$2 to $10 per dosage unit.
Outlook
Texas will continue to serve as a major desti-
nation and transshipment point for illicit drugs.
Mexican DTOs will remain the greatest threat
along the U.S.–Mexico border in Texas. These
organizations will continue to use the region to
transport and distribute large amounts of metham-
phetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana des-
tined for markets in Texas and the rest of the
United States. Increasing trade between the
United States and Mexico will contribute to the
increasing volume of cross-border traffic, provid-
ing drug smugglers with more opportunities to
smuggle illicit drugs into the country. Law
enforcement interdiction efforts and increased
security along the Southwest Border may force
DTOs to adjust drug smuggling methods and
transportation routes. As a result of these adjust-
ments, violent confrontations between DTOs and
an overall increase in violence along the South-
west Border can be expected.
36
Dextromethorphan Abuse by Youth
School personnel in Texas have been report-
ing problems with the abuse of dextromethor-
phan (DXM), especially the use of Robitussin-
DM, Tussin, and Coricidin Cough and Cold
Tablets HBP. These substances can be pur-
chased over the counter and, if taken in large
quantities, can product hallucinogenic effects.
Coricidin HBP pills are known as Triple Cs or
Skittles.
Outreach workers in the Houston area report
an emerging trend in the use of Coricidin HBP
Cough and Cold pills (Triple Cs) by adoles-
cents, with some recent admissions to treat-
ment for abuse of these pills.
Source: Gulf Coast Addiction Technology Transfer
Center.
The production, distribution, and abuse of
methamphetamine are not likely to decrease in
the near future. The methamphetamine trade in
Texas has the potential to expand, allowing vari-
ous criminal groups the opportunity to enter the
market. Mexican DTOs and criminal groups
likely will increase the amount of methamphet-
amine they smuggle into Texas, as demand for the
drug grows. Crystal methamphetamine will
become available in more areas throughout the
state, particularly in midsize and smaller cities.
In-state production also will continue as indepen-
dent methamphetamine dealers expand their dis-
tribution throughout Texas. If domestic
methamphetamine production continues to
expand at current levels, this will have an increas-
ingly negative impact on the environment, public
health, and state budgetary resource allocations.

Cocaine will remain a principal drug threat to
Texas. Mexican DTOs and criminal groups have
historically used the state to transport multiton
shipments of cocaine into and through Texas to
drug markets throughout the country, and there
are no indications that this trend will change.
Heroin will continue to attract new users, par-
ticularly adolescents, because of its ready avail-
ability, high purity, and relatively low cost. Due to
the influence of Mexican DTOs, black tar heroin
will remain the predominant type available in the
state.
Marijuana will remain the most commonly
available and widely abused drug in Texas. Mari-
juana produced in Mexico will remain the pre-
dominant type available; however, the availability
of locally produced marijuana may increase if
National Drug Intelligence Center
demand rises. Barring any major changes in drug
flow patterns, Texas will continue to serve as the
primary gateway for smuggling marijuana from
Mexico into the United States.
The abuse of ODDs such as MDMA, GHB
and its analogs, ketamine, LSD, Rohypnol, and
PCP is likely to increase, particularly among
teenagers and young adults. Adverse conse-
quences from abuse of these drugs are likely to
increase as new users experiment with them and
combine them with other drugs or alcohol. As
abuse of club drugs becomes more common in
the urban areas of Texas, abuse of these drugs
also will spread to the less populated areas of the
state. Mexican DTOs may become involved in the
distribution of club drugs if demand increases.
37
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

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38
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Sources
State and Regional

24th & 25th Judicial District Narcotics Task Force

81st Judicial District Task Force Administration

Agriplex Roadrunners Drug Task Force

Alamo Area Narcotics Task Force

Alamo Police Department

Allen Police Department

Alpine Police Department

Amarillo Police Department

Angleton Police Department

Anthony Police Department

Arlington Police Department

Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office

Austin County Sheriff’s Office

Austin Police Department

Bandera County Sheriff’s Office

Bastrop Police Department

Beaumont Police Department

Beeville Police Department

Bellaire Police Department

Bell County Sheriff's Office

Bexar County Sheriff’s Office

Bi-State Narcotics Task Force

39
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

Brenham Police Department

Brewster County Sheriff’s Office

Brownsville Police Department

Bryan Police Department

Burnet Police Department

Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office

Cameron County Sheriff’s Office

Narcotics Division
Carrollton Police Department

Cedar Park Police Department

Central East Texas Narcotics Task Force

Central South Texas Narcotics Task Force

Central Texas Narcotics Task Force

College Station Police Department

Collin County Sheriff’s Office

Colorado County Sheriff's Office

Comal County Sheriff’s Office

Conroe Police Department

Coppell Police Department

Copperas Cove Police Department

Corpus Christi Police Department

Crowley Police Department

Culberson County Sheriff’s Office

Dallas County Sheriff’s Office

Dallas Police Department

Decatur Police Department

Deep East Texas Regional Narcotics Task Force

Deer Park Police Department

40
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Del Rio Police Department

Denton Police Department

Diboll Police Department

Dogwood Trails Narcotic Task Force

Duval County Sheriff’s Office

Eagle Pass Police Department

Ector County Sheriff’s Office

Edinburg Police Department

Ellis County Sheriff’s Office

El Paso County Metro Narcotics Task Force

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office

El Paso Metro Narcotics Task Force

El Paso Police Department

Euless Police Department

Fort Bend County Narcotics Task Force

Fort Stockton Police Department

Fort Worth Police Department

Fredericksburg Police Department

Freestone County Sheriff’s Office

Garland Police Department

Gatesville Police Department

Gladewater Police Department

Grand Prairie Police Department

Grapevine Police Department

Gulf Coast Addiction Technology Transfer Center

Gun Barrel City Police Department

Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office

Harris County Sheriff’s Department

41
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

Hays County Sheriff’s Office

Helotes City Police Department

Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office

Hidalgo Police Department

Highland Village Police Department

Hill County Sheriff’s Office

Horizon City Police Department

Houston Police Department

Howard County Sheriff’s Office

Hutchinson County Sheriff’s Office

Independence Narcotics Task Force

Irving Police Department

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department

Narcotics Task Force
Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office

Johnson County Sheriff’s Office

Kerrville Police Department

Lacy-Lakeview Police Department

Lampasas County Sheriff’s Office

Lancaster Police Department

Laredo Police Department

Lavaca County Sheriff's Office

League City Police Department

Livingston Police Department

Longview Police Department

Lubbock Police Department

Luling Police Department

McAllen (Multi-Agency) Intelligence Center

42
 National Drug Intelligence Center

McAllen Police Department

McKinney Police Department

McLennan County Sheriff’s Office

Mercedes Police Department

Mesquite Police Department

Mexia Police Department

Midland County Sheriff’s Office

Midland Police Department

Midlothian Police Department

Monahans Police Department

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office

Moore County Sheriff’s Office

Nassau Bay Police Department

North Richland Hills Police Department

Odessa Police Department

Orange County Sheriff’s Office

Orange Police Department

Palmview Police Department

Panhandle Regional Narcotics Task Force

Panola County Sheriff’s Office

Pearland Police Department

Pecos County Sheriff’s Department

Pecos Police Department

Pecos Valley Drug Task Force

Perryton Police Department

Pharr Police Department

Plainview Police Department

43
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

Plano Police Department

Presidio County Sheriff’s Office

Refugio County Sheriff’s Office

Richardson Police Department

Rio Concho Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement Task Force

Rio Grande City Police Department

Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office

Roma Police Department

Rural Area Narcotics Task Force-Lampasas

Sachse City Police Department

Saginaw Texas Police Department

San Angelo Police Department

San Antonio Police Department

San Marcos Police Department

Santa Fe City Police Department

Seagoville Police Department

Seguin Police Department

Seminole Police Department

Smith County Sheriff’s Office

Smithville Police Department

Snyder Police Department

South Padre Island City Police Department

South Plains Regional Narcotics Task Force

State of Texas
Department of Public Safety
Post Seizure Analysis Team
Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Texas Workforce Commission
Sugar Land Police Department

44
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office

Taylor Police Department

Terrell County Sheriff’s Office

Terrell Hills Police Department

Texarkana Police Department

Texas A&M International University

Texas Center for Border Economic and Enterprise Development
Texas City Police Department

Texas Poison Control Centers

Texas Workforce Commission

Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office

Trans Pecos Drug Task Force

Travis County Sheriff's Office

Tri-County Narcotics Task Force

Universal City Police Department

University of Texas at Austin

Center for Social Work Research, School of Social Work
Gulf Coast Addiction Technology Transfer Center

University Park Police Department

Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office

Victoria Police Department

Waco Police Department

Watauga Department of Public Safety

Webb County Sheriff’s Office

Weslaco Police Department

Westside Narcotics Task Force

Wharton Police Department

Wichita Falls Police Department

45
Texas Drug Threat Assessment

Williamson County Sheriff’s Office

Willow Park City Police Department

Wilmer Police Department

Yoakum County Sheriff’s Office

National

Executive Office of the President

Office of National Drug Control Policy
High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
Houston
North Texas
South Texas
Southwest Border
West Texas

U.S. Department of Commerce

Census Bureau
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Community Epidemiology Work Group
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Office of Applied Studies
Drug Abuse Warning Network
National Household Survey on Drug Abuse
Treatment Episode Data Set

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Directorate of Border and Transportation Security
Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (formerly U.S. Customs Service of the
U.S. Department of Treasury and U.S. Border Patrol of the U.S. Department of Justice)
Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (formerly Immigration and Naturalization
Service of the United States Department of Justice)
Air and Marine Interdiction Coordination Center
U.S. Coast Guard

46
 National Drug Intelligence Center

Contributing agencies formerly known as

U.S. Border Patrol
Del Rio Sector
El Paso Sector
Marfa Sector
McAllen Sector
U.S. Customs Service
South Texas Customs Management Center
Southwest Field Intelligence Unit
West Texas Customs Management Center

U.S. Department of Justice

Criminal Division
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
Drug Enforcement Administration
Dallas Division
Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program
Domestic Monitor Program
El Paso Division
El Paso Intelligence Center
National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System
Operation Convoy
Operation Jetway
Operation Pipeline
Federal-Wide Drug Seizure System
Houston Division
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Eastern District of Texas
Northern District of Texas
Southern District of Texas
Western District of Texas

U.S. General Accounting Office

U.S. Sentencing Commission

Other

University of Mississippi
Potency Monitoring Project

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 October 2003

Texas
Drug Threat Assessment

National Drug Intelligence Center

319 WASHINGTON STREET • 5TH FLOOR • JOHNSTOWN, PA 15901-1622 • (814) 532-4601 U.S. Department of Justice
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